Roberto and Sophia: A Blue Rose
by Sorrelwing
Summary: Roberto has always found Sophia to be a good friend, but when he hears her singing voice, he realizes that she is more than special. But Sophia has secrets of her own, and Roberto discovers that her brother has a mysterious hatred for her. He must discover why this is so, but Roberto must convince Sophia of the danger she is in before her brother takes his rage further.
1. A new day

**_Hi everyone - here we are, a fanfiction I've been dying to do for almost a year. You all know from The Outcast and The Estrella who Sophia is; she's one of my favourite OCs, and the poor girl went through so much in The Estrella. If you thought that was a lot to go through, you'll soon discover that she has gone through a lot more in the past. Before you knew her, she was quite different from the fearless and confident bird you saw in the Outcast and Estrella._**

 ** _You met Sophia's mother and brother in my rewrite of 'Roberto's Nightmare', in a brief encounter, but now, they're back with significance. This is set some months before the Outcast. Also, I'd highly recommend new readers to read that rewrite - I'll be referencing to it a few times throughout this story, so if you get confused about Roberto remembering his childhood, check that out. If in doubt, I don't mind answering your questions!_**

 ** _Okay, let's go - we'll kick off a few days after the end of Rio 2._**

"Have you got all your things, Bia?" Blu's voice sounded from outside. In the tree, Roberto was helping gather up all the pretty stones and shells Bia had been collecting since their arrival in the Amazon. Bia had so many; he couldn't imagine where she was going to put them all, even if the new tree was large. From the first day, Eduardo had reserved the best trees so that his daughter and her family had the best choice of living areas - after Blu and Jewel had gone from tree to tree, trying to make a decision, they had finally found the perfect one. A snug one with plenty of leaves and space. Roberto agreed with the couple - it was an excellent choice.

As Bia dropped all her stones into the large leaf, Tiago rushed past; as he did, he crashed into the leaf, and the pebbles and shells went flying across the floor. "Hey, watch it!" Bia snapped, irritably. Tiago laughed, not caring, before Jewel's stern face appeared in the entrance.

"Hey, stop messing around, Tiago!" She scolded, but Tiago darted past her. She rolled her turquoise eyes, and went to step into the nest to help Bia, but Carla got there first.

"Here, sis!" Carla plucked up each scattered stone and shells, returning them to the leaf. Bia shot a look of gratitude at her sister. "I'll be helpful, unlike Tiago."

"Hey!" Tiago protested, from outside.

"Come on, that's enough!" Blu entered the tree, where Carla and Bia were struggling to fold up the leaf. Blu then wrapped up the stones and shells for them, tucking it under his wing.

"Thank you, dad!" Bia and Carla said simultaneously to Blu. The two sisters then dashed outside, shouting out a goodbye and a thank you to Roberto for letting them stay for their first few days in the Amazon.

"Thank you very much, Roberto." Jewel said, smiling in gratitude from where she stood in the entrance, Bia, Carla, and Tiago waiting at her side. Happy that they were all ready to go, Jewel beamed down at her three chicks. "Okay kids, do you want to see our new home?"

"Yes!" Tiago jumped on the spot. The sound of Jewel and the chick's voices began to fade, and Blu hurried toward the entrance as his mate called for him. Blu paused, turning back.

"Thank you, again." He said, sounding awkward. There had been an air of awkwardness between the two males since Roberto's little meltdown at the human camp. Roberto looked away, hating the feeling; how humiliating. Blu was frowning, in concern. Roberto knew Blu hadn't exactly been warm toward him - maybe singing to Jewel to welcome her back hadn't been the best idea, giving the city bird the wrong impression. Roberto had been so overjoyed by the thought of his childhood friend being alive, he hadn't thought things through. In the last few days, since the loggers' defeat, the tension had melted away, but there was still that air of tension after what Roberto had blurted out. "Hey, what you said in the camp..."

"It doesn't matter, honestly." Roberto ran his wingtips through his head feathers. He prayed Blu wouldn't question him further; he wasn't going to tell Blu about why he had freaked out and started acting so bizarre. It had been almost nineteen years since Roberto had seen those vile humans, had been left with just 'crackers' to eat - he had been so young, but he remembered those days as vividly as if they had happened yesterday. Roberto still had a constant reminder - he felt the ring around his upper leg, under his leg feathers. Blu opened his beak, as if to say something, but then shook his head, thinking better of it.

"Okay." Blu said. Roberto stiffened a sigh of relief. He looked at him, in genuine sympathy. "Humans aren't all bad, you know."

"Yeah, I know..." Roberto nodded, recalling the pair of humans Blu and Jewel knew. "And thank _you._ You saved my life, when that machine..."

"Blu! Are you coming?" Jewel's head poked through the entrance. "Come on! The kids are there already; let's get there before they start fighting over rooms."

"Yes, I'll be right there." Blu promised. Jewel then vanished, flying quickly for the new tree. Blu stretched out his wing, and Roberto shook it. "See you around." Blu said, before turning and flying after Jewel and his kids. Roberto watched him go, before sighing and picking up the palm leaf he kept for sweeping. Roberto swept the palm leaf across the dust and moss on the floor, and the blue feathers moulted by his guests. Roberto swept all of the debris toward the gap in the wall, pushing it out.

His tree had been empty for so many years, he was quite sad to see Blu and his family move out. Roberto rarely had guests, except for his friends or their kids, when he offered to babysit. Roberto had envied Blu so much - he had what he didn't. A mate, and a family. Roberto was aware that he had plenty of female admirers, but he never met the right one.

Roberto flew up to a branch, and perched there, running his beak through his plumage while looking upon his home. From here, he could see Blu and Jewel's new tree, and hear the excited squawks of Bia, Carla, and Tiago. He peered closer, and made out the forms of Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi at the entrance, discussing something. Roberto was glad Eduardo liked his son-in-law now - a few days ago he couldn't stand the sight of him.

The five city visitors - Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro and Luiz - had departed for Rio de Janeiro yesterday, with the promise of visits and some way of contact. Blu and Bia had proposed phone calls, whatever that meant; something about the city birds getting a 'phone' and the family calling from a human boat or that new animal hospital being built nearby. Roberto hardly understood this, but it was good that they could keep in contact.

Roberto marvelled over the changes that had occurred in the last few days. So much had been achieved by the arrival of Blu, Jewel and their kids - peace between the Spix's and the Red macaws, borders melting away so any macaw could go where they pleased. Territory disputes were non-existent, and Roberto had befriended Felipe, his former nemesis. He had despised the sight of him for years, but since they had fought together in that battle, the hostility had been swept away.

The sanctuary had been set up, spreading over a vast distance so that all four tribes in the area were well protected. The Spix's, Red and Blue-and-Gold tribes were united - the third tribe had always been friendly, but now ties were even stronger. It was a pity the sanctuary also protected the Hyacinth macaw tribe, who were no closer to peace with the other tribes than an ant was to the moon.

Roberto, who had been terrified of humans for years, was now less afraid - he didn't freak out as much, even if they still petrified him. It was just a shame he was the only one out of his friendship circle who was single. All of his friends either had mates and, or, kids. He was the only one who had never had a mate - not even a girlfriend for that matter. His friends didn't believe him, but it was true. He had only flirted with single females, but they had never been the 'kindred spirit'.

"Hey, daydreamer! Are we going on patrol or what?" Tobias, a friend of his, landed on the branch beside him, making Roberto jump. Before Roberto could greet Tobias or reply, a young voice sounded from behind them.

"Can I go?" Chirupped the little blue form.

"No, you can't, Bruno." Tobias said, turning toward his young son. Bruno, a boy who wasn't much older than Blu and Jewel's kids, was hovering a few feet away. With a curious stack of near-vertical feathers standing on the top of his head and neck, Bruno was a unique-looking yet handsome little bird, very inquisitive. And a bit annoying.

"Aw, why not?" Bruno asked, looking disappointed.

"Because you'll get bored." Isabella, Bruno's mother, lighted down and plucked her son from the air. Bruno grumbled as Isabella hugged him.

"Mom, so embarrassing..." Bruno squirmed with discomfort, before fighting out of Isabella's hug, flying away. Tobias and Isabella both started laughing, before Tobias gave his mate a kiss on the cheek, and Isabella followed Bruno, calling for him to slow down. Tobias chuckled.

"We'll wait for you at the entrance." Tobias said. "Jespa and Manuela are on our patrol -"

"Oh, not Jespa." Roberto groaned, and Tobias nodded.

"Yes, Jespa." Tobias sighed. "He had nothing to do, and Manuela was desperate for a break from that little trouble maker of hers, Augustus." Tobias smiled at him. "Honestly, kids are exhausting, Roberto. But it's worth it - me and Izzy's relationship has been on the rocks, but since our Bruno came into our lives, we're as loved-up as before. He's brought us so much joy over the last weeks, and he's got a great voice, even now. You ought to hear him - he's going to be something special when he grows up. Mind you, any kid of yours would surely inherit your skills." Tobias clapped him on the shoulder, before flying for the entrance. Roberto knew exactly what Tobias was doing; every friend of his who was a parent had, telling him the rewards of parenting. Nineteen years old, and he didn't have a family yet, not even a mate at least.

Roberto sighed, before following Tobias. He knew the right girl was out there - he just had to find her.


	2. On patrol

Roberto flew through the trees, flying a few feet behind his companions. They had passed the deforested area; it looked grim. He felt a pang of sadness, remembering the exact trees that had once grown there. But his heart lightened at the sight of the little building that was already being constructed in the bare clearing. The 'Spix's Wing', Blu had reported was it's name, to be the sanctuary headquarters and animal hospital. This could save lives - illnesses and injuries frequently occurred that were beyond healing with jungle medical plants. He wasn't keen on the idea of the alien equipment humans used, but if it would save his life, he'd give it a go - eventually.

"-Augustus is a nightmare sometimes, but in the end he's a little sweetie." Manuela and Tobias were discussing parenthood. "He's so much like Carlos - he's so good at making friends, but I'm a bit worried. He seems too desperate to get into the popular crowd, and they're not really good news, if you ask me. Always stirring up trouble."

"Bruno's not bothered." Tobias said, with a shrug. "He's more interested in befriending the new and shy kids, to include them. I'm glad he's befriended Blu and Jewel's three; he seems to really like Carla. She sings, too, like he does."

"That's good to hear, that Blu and Jewel's kids are fitting in so well." Manuela sounded glad. "You know, Carlos and I are even thinking of having another brood."

"Bruno's enough of a wingful - one is enough, for us." Tobias said, with a laugh. "Jespa, have you ever thought of having kids?" Tobias looked toward the male, to include him in the conversation, for Jespa hadn't said a word throughout the entire flight. Jespa slowly turned their way, and Tobias and Manuela looked uncomfortable as his amber gaze bore into them. Jespa had an unusual eye colour; unusually bright and feline-like. Roberto had always thought that Jespa's eyes reminded him of Esmeralda, an amber eyed tabby cat who had terrorized him during his time in captivity.

A light blue, somewhat scrawny male, Jespa had a short bunch of feathers on the back of his head. He never cared about his appearance - his feathers were never neat, and fairly dull. He was, however, a good-looking male, who should've found little trouble attracting a female. If he didn't go round with a face like stone or have such a foul attitude and personality, he probably would've had a mate by now.

"No." Said Jespa, simply, before turning his head to look ahead. Tobias looked disappointed at Jespa's lack of effort in contributing to the conversation.

"Well, you tried." Roberto whispered to Tobias. Jespa snapped his head back, glaring at Roberto, and he gave him a weak smile - how did Jespa have such sharp hearing? Roberto had barely whispered it, and Jespa was almost a metre away from him. Jespa had never been quite right - always muttering to himself, staring into space, and rarely talking to anyone - except for his mother. That reminded him. "How is Zenaida, Jespa? Is her cough any better?" He asked, hoping to get back on Jespa's good side; but Roberto had always had the impression that Jespa didn't like him.

"She's been better." Jespa replied, sounding genuinely worried this time. Zenaida was the only one Jespa really interacted with, besides his sister. Zenaida, who was a little older than Mimi, was an elegant older female, almost the same blue shade as her son with unique golden eyes. Her feathers had a silver tint that shouldn't have made an appearance for several more years, but despite this, Zenaida had aged well.

Unfortunately, she wasn't exactly the most sociable or sweet of macaws. She bickered with neighbours constantly, and seemed rather dependant on others, always getting someone to fetch food for her. She was usually ordering her two children about, keeping to her little tree. Zenaida had also been coughing as of late, coughing that the healers couldn't subdue. When faced with such dilemma they had advised her to drink more and eat well so that it faded in time, but this didn't seem to be helping.

Roberto felt sorry for the family, nonetheless. When Jespa had been a child, his father had died during a fight with Zenaida, who had been secretly having an affair. The father, whom Roberto had never learned the name of, had injured his wing and fallen to his death. It had been a tragedy, happening before Roberto had joined the tribe, and Jespa's mean spirit had intensified following the death. Roberto had no idea how on earth someone like Jespa could be the brother of Sophia.

In fact, there she was - perching in a tree, in conversation with the Red tribe matriarch, Azalea. The pair, once enemies, were now the best of friends, rather like how Roberto had befriended Felipe, Azalea's mate. Sophia and Roberto had been friends for years, ever since Roberto had joined for the first time.

The tribe scoremarker, Sophia was nothing like her brother. She was small, slender and dark feathered, with an unusual periwinkle tint to her glossy plumage. Her eyes, large and midnight blue, were dark and capturing, any male being easily lost in the depths. Sophia also went around with a scent like wild orchids and coconut water; she was a mysterious female, no doubt about it, but she was kind and easy to talk to. Nothing like her mother and brother.

"Mingling with the enemy, I see." Jespa muttered, glaring at Azalea and Sophia. Roberto, Tobias and Manuela exchanged annoyed looks, in frustration. Jespa had been the only one who hadn't joined the celebrations a few days before - he hadn't joined the battle, for that matter. He'd stayed in his hollow throughout the entire thing.

"Jespa, get it into your head." Manuela said, speaking slowly, for they'd had this conversation so many times. Jespa never got the message. "The hostility is _over._ We're at peace, give Sophia a break."

"Peace?" Jespa spat, with disgust. "I hate the word. And you, Roberto -" Jespa said the name with utter distaste. "How can you trust Felipe, of all macaws?"

"Because he helped me in the battle - oh, right. You weren't there." Roberto hissed. Jespa gave him a poisonous look, before he then turned, and flew in the opposite direction.

"Hey! We're still on patrol -" Manuela attempted to call Jespa back, but Jespa was already gone. "I don't know what's wrong with him." She shook her head, dumbfounded.

"Maybe Sophia knows..." Roberto suggested, and he glanced her way. Sophia and Azalea, who hadn't seen the patrol flying by, were giggling like a pair of teenagers. Azalea had a palm leaf spread between herself and Sophia; they seemed to be experimenting with powders. A ground up black powder lay on the leaf, as did some other colours, various shades of blue. Azalea was combining different colours, the area above her eyes creased in concentration.

"-charcoal is really effective. It makes eyes look darker and more mysterious, and the black will look great with your blue feathers. My dearly departed aunt Juanita used to love making eyelid colours..." The Scarlet macaw then looked up, spotting the patrol. "Morning!" Azalea greeted, waving. Sophia turned to see who Azalea was talking to, before she spotted her friends, and waved too - when she saw Roberto, Sophia's smile seemed to grow.

"Hey, Soph, Azalea!" Roberto waved. Tobias and Manuela also called out greetings, before flying on. Roberto found himself still looking at Sophia as he went, but, so distracted, didn't look where he was going. Then he found himself entangled in vines. "Oh, mangoes -" he exclaimed, embarrassed by his clumsiness, trying and failing to free himself. Azalea burst out laughing at his mistake, and Sophia, seeing his struggle, rolled her eyes and flew toward him.

"Okay, let me help, clumsy." She teased, before snapping through the vines that held him. Roberto fell to the branch below, landing in the most clumsy fashion. Sophia laughed, lighting down on the branch beside him. He shook his head to get rid of some vine traces, and Sophia's eyes softened at the sight of his head feathers flying up and down.

"Thanks." Roberto said, gratefully. He paused, briefly stuck for words. He decided against telling Sophia about Jespa; he didn't want to spoil her day. He looked over her shoulder, toward Azalea. "So, what's all that powder for?"

"Oh - um... Sophia looked embarrassed. "Well, I have something to do and I wanted to look nicer, so Azalea thought she'd help me out."

"How can you look any nicer? You always look nice." Nice didn't even begin to cover it, really - Sophia blushed at the comment. "What will you be up to, then?"

"Roberto, let's go!" Manuela called to him, from the trees. Roberto turned, feeling a strange urge to stay and carry on his conversation with Sophia. He always loved talking to her.

"Well, I gotta go." Roberto said, the disappointment in his voice obvious. "See you later, Sophia." He then followed Tobias and Manuela, toward the Hyacinth border. Sophia watched him go, looking lost in thought, before Azalea called her.

"Hey! I think I got the perfect shade!" Sophia hurried over, excitedly, to see what Azalea had made. The area above Azalea's hazel eyes rose slightly. "You like him, don't you?" She teased.

"No..." Sophia laughed. Azalea, a macaw who saw through every lie, didn't believe her friend.

"I think you do." Azalea prodded Sophia playfully. "Anyway, let's get these colours done. What are you up to later, other than your -"

"Sssh!" Sophia looked around, looking worried. Azalea sighed, and crossed her wings; this secret was just plain ridiculous.

"Honestly, who cares if your tribe finds out? They'd be surprised and happy to hear your talent. What's so bad about it?"

"Look, I don't care about the tribe. It's my family that worries me." Sophia admitted. At Azalea's baffled expression Sophia made a rushed reply. "They... they don't like me doing certain things. Zenaida's a bit meddlesome and Jespa's a bit..." Sophia paused. "Over protective."

"Over protective? He doesn't seem it." Azalea narrowed her eyes. "They're your family, Sophia. Wouldn't they want you to be happy?" Sophia opened her beak to reply, but closed it, her eyes casting downward. Azalea knew Sophia was hiding something from her; but Sophia was as tough as a Brazil nut. Azalea had asked about Jespa and Zenaida several times before, but Sophia hadn't said much about them. It was a complete mystery to Azalea.


	3. Through the rain

It was evening by the time the patrol returned - the sun was dipping behind the horizon, and it was beginning to grow dark. A wind tugged at their feathers, and black clouds were rolling in, promising heavy rain. Tobias and Manuela bid him goodbye, before going their separate ways, headed for their families; Isabella was waiting in her tree, a sleeping Bruno tucked into her wings, while Carlos waved at Manuela, Augustus looking bored at his side.

Eduardo was standing on a rock, talking with a group of macaws, while Mimi was probably in her sleeping spot, for today was her 'weekly face mask day.' The majority of the tribe were here, around their nests as the rainclouds approached. Roberto stiffened as Jespa flew past him, amber gaze fixated firmly ahead. Exhausted from the long day of patrolling, he was about to head for his nest when his name was called.

"Roberto!" Zenaida's grating voice scratched at the air. He jumped, and whirled around, in surprise. Jespa and Sophia's mother leaned against her hollow entrance, wheezing slightly. Her cough had made her once pleasant voice rough, and stained her face with fatigue. Zenaida's head feathers were rather like her daughter's, perhaps shorter and more messy. Silver streaks ran through Zenaida's plumage, and her golden eyes were framed with thick, dark, almost sooty eyelashes that were just like Sophia's. Zenaida also had a talon missing from her right foot, apparently from an accident as a teenager. "I need some water. My throat feels like it's full of sand."

"Of course, Zenaida." Roberto said, politely, before taking one of the coconut shells kept near the water for drinking. Skimming the surface of the plunge pool, Roberto dipped the shell in until it was full, before retracting it from the water and turning, flying swiftly back to Zenaida. He offered it to the sickly female, who took it. She muttered a hardly audible 'thank you' before retreating into the nest, gulping down the water. Roberto sighed. At least he knew where Jespa got his rudeness from.

"Sorry about her." Said a sympathetic voice above his head. Roberto looked up, to see a familiar pair of midnight blue eyes. Sophia perched above him, looking embarrassed, probably from Zenaida's behaviour. "She's always been like that, ever since I was little." She allowed her grip on the branch to loosen, so that she swung forward and hung upside-down from the branch by her toes, a few inches from Roberto. Roberto cracked a smile, for the funny sight sparked amusement.

"Don't worry, I don't blame you. Maybe her sickness has put her in a bad mood." Roberto knew this wasn't truth; Zenaida had always been rude and short-tempered long before her cough had set in. But he didn't want to offend Sophia. "What does the world look like?" He teased, as Sophia swung a little from her perch. The childlike joy on her face always brought a smile to his beak.

"Upside down and my blood is going to my brain, but it's -" but then the joy in her expression was drained as her name sounded from behind him. Her voice cut off.

"Sophia!" Barked Zenaida. There she was, standing in the entrance again, the empty coconut shell in her talon. "Get down from there at once. You're almost nineteen years old, you're not a chick anymore." Sophia's eyes narrowed, before she made a great swing until she was standing.

"Happy?" Sophia asked, bitterly, from the above branch. Roberto glanced from Sophia to Zenaida, knowing that Zenaida was being extremely unfair - Sophia was an adult, and her mother couldn't tell her what to do anymore. And swinging from a branch wasn't immature - it was just fun. The mother and daughter had quite a strained relationship, although it wasn't clear why. It had begun after the death of Sophia's father, apparently - Sophia had distanced herself from Zenaida and Jespa following the incident, and the tension had never faded.

"Don't you use that tone with me, young lady." Zenaida snapped, tossing the coconut shell away, speaking as though Sophia were a small and stupid chick, rather than an adult. "You've always been so tense toward me."

"Don't do this here." Sophia's feathers bristled slightly.

"Is she bothering you, mother?" Said an icy voice. Sophia's head whipped up, as did Roberto's; Jespa stood there, on a high branch, his feline-like eyes slitted. How had he gotten there in the first place? He must've been as silent as a feather dropping to get there without Roberto or Sophia hearing his approach.

"No, I'm not." Sophia snapped. She spun round, and made a speedy getaway, her tail streaming out behind her. This was nothing new - most conversations between Sophia and Zenaida ended with Jespa's interruption.

"Sophia, wait!" Roberto spread his wings, but she was already gone. He dropped his wings, knowing Sophia wanted space; but then the feathers on his neck rose a little as Jespa spoke into his ear, uncomfortably close, in a hissing voice. He always spoke that way.

"That's the problem with her. Try to help her and she just pushes you away." But Jespa didn't sound sorrowful. He sounded amused, and not in a light-hearted way. There was also a tint of malice to his words. Roberto turned, eyes narrowed, before spreading his wings to fly, not wanting to be in Jespa's presence any longer.

"Maybe she'd be a lot kinder to you if you returned the hospitality." Roberto retorted. Jespa narrowed his eyes at him; not for the first time.

"Hospitality? She doesn't know the -"

"Don't mock her." Zenaida interrupted Jespa, sounding exhausted, like she'd said it countless times before. Jespa suddenly looked incredibly frustrated, and even outraged.

"Who's side are you on?" He asked, angrily. "How can you protect her when -"

"Enough -" Zenaida began, only to burst into a fit of coughing. Roberto looked over his shoulder, frowning at Jespa's statement, before flying across the ravine, skin crawling. There was something strange about Jespa and Zenaida, but he couldn't place a talon on it. He didn't like it one bit.

Then, unexpectedly, raindrops began to fall - swift, numerous and heavy. On the water lilies, Carla, Bia and Tiago were playing before darkness fell, but now darkness was upon the ravine, made darker by the sudden cloud cover that covered the entire sky, rather than just some of it.

"Looks like a lot of rain!" Carla exclaimed, as the black clouds loomed, and the splashes on the plunge pool surface increased. Carla then stopped in midair, her emerald green eyes screwed shut as water found it's way into her eyes. "Urgh! Stuff this, I'm going back to the tree!" She whirled round, making a dash for home, while her two siblings stayed by the lilies. Bia was chatting away to Tiago about rain; Roberto could hardly believe how much she knew, as she was so young. She was going to be a genius when she was older, no doubt about it.

"Did you know that the Amazon river contributes to twenty percent of global river run-off into oceans, and that the annual precipitation -" before Bia could finish her sentence, however, Jewel's voice rang out.

"Bia, Tiago! Come on, the rain's started - come here!" Jewel was waving from the new tree, Blu at her side, who was using a palm leaf to cover his and Jewel's heads from the rain. Carla, who had reached her parents, gratefully dived for cover under the palm leaf, before exchanging some words with her mother and father disappearing into the tree, shaking her fluffy feathers as she went.

"Oh, man!" Tiago sighed, looking disappointed. "Oh well - I'm going back now!"

"Right behind you." Bia agreed, before swiftly following her brother to shelter. They flew past their parents, straight into the tree, and Blu and Jewel soon followed. The rest of the tribe also began to retreat to their nests, for the rain was getting heavier and a great wind was picking up; in the corner of his eye, Mimi was scooting toward her flowered tree, a face mask still coating her face, while Eduardo was cancelling patrols due to the turn of weather. Roberto fled for the sanctuary of his home, relieved when he finally reached the cover of the hollow.

Roberto shook out his sodden feathers, wondering if there was a chance of flooding. It wouldn't have that much of an effect on them, and the river bursting it's banks wasn't out of the ordinary. Outside, the rain began to hammer down, and soon trails of water were leaking in from the entrance's floor. That was a problem he often had to face whenever there was heavy rain.

Roberto lifted a leaf from the floor, revealing a hole in the earth, filled with various nuts and fruit. He always kept some extra food there, in case he was unable to go foraging; choosing a Brazil nut, he recovered the stash and returned to the entrance, sitting just out of the rain to watch the weather while he ate. There was definitely something wonderful about heavy rain - it was a sound he had loved since childhood. _The good part of my childhood._

Roberto looked at his left ankle, the one with the white ring, which he kept hidden by his leg feathers. He picked at it; over the years, it had grown notched and stained, but it didn't come close to breaking. It had been there for almost the whole nineteen years of his life; only the first few weeks of his life had been spent without it. Those first weeks of life had the best, spent with his parents and sister. Then their home had been torn down by machines like the ones he had faced a few days before. He remembered his time spent in Manaus vividly, as well as the two humans' faces. Roberto wasn't sure how long he had spent with the humans; it hadn't been long, but he knew the horrors of his childhood would always stick with him. His nightmares were frequently plagued with falling trees and humans.

But then he had escaped back to the rainforest, had been rescued by his new family. The tribe were his family now - and he knew his parents and sister were very proud of him. He was saddened that they had never been able to see how good tribelife was, but he always had good dreams about them. It was just a shame his life wasn't entirely happy - his life would be complete as soon as he had his own family.

Just as Roberto was pondering over what he wanted most, he saw a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye. A figure stood in the roots of a nearby tree, glancing left and right. _What on earth...?_ Great green feathers that were several inches wide covered it's head, back, and wings - at first he thought it was the strangest creature he'd seen, but then he realized that the feathers were in fact wide leaves.

The leafy mask then rose; while he didn't see her face through the rain, he knew it was Sophia who lived in that tree. The mask then dropped, and, the leaves acting as cover from the weather, Sophia began to hug the treeline in her leafy pelt, to fly in as minimal rain as possible. Roberto threw the Brazil nut aside. "Sophia!" He called, but she didn't hear him. Within moments, Sophia had disappeared over the cliff edge, and out of sight.

Roberto blinked, dumbfounded. What reason could Sophia possibly have for leaving the ravine in the dark, and in such weather? She had to be mad, to go out - rainforest storms could be dangerous. He rose to his talons, torn on whether to stay or follow her. The wind then seemed to subside, and the torrential rain weakened. This was his chance to follow.

Roberto hesitated, wondering whether it was worth it, but then curiosity got the better of him. Flying through the rain, Roberto began to follow Sophia as fast as his wings would allow. He soon regretted leaving the hollow, for the heavy rain seemed to resume in power. It was too late to turn back now, though - by the time it got heavy again, he was already over the cliff top.


	4. Danzas de Amor

The rain pelted hard on Roberto's back and wings, but he couldn't stop - Sophia wasn't far ahead, but she kept disappearing. He didn't want to lose her and have to go back. He would occasionally call out, but over the distance between them and the weather, she didn't hear him. The leaves covering her head probably didn't help, but at least she was dry. He was soaked to the skin in rain.

Roberto would've usually turned around and given up by now, due to the weather, but couldn't bring himself to give up and go home. It was dangerous out here, both at night and during a storm - he wanted to know why Sophia would risk it all by venturing out here.

Where on earth was she going? He didn't recognize this area. Sophia had been flying from the ravine, swiftly, for almost ten minutes now - he couldn't imagine where she was going. Roberto had ventured around the territory many times, but he was positive he hadn't wandered this far from home before. Had they crossed the border? The territory was cut off north by the three other tribes' land, and the free sides were unclaimed - they had headed south-west, and since the surroundings were unfamiliar, it was likely they had left the territory behind. The tribe borders were marked by streaks of colour on the end trees, accordingly to the macaws' colour, and he was sure he'd seen a light blue painted streak on a walking palm tree not long ago.

"Sophia!" He shouted again, but then he realized she was gone. Roberto put on a burst of speed; there was a green flash ahead, but then the leaf-covered Sophia vanished. He halted, confused, but then there was a gust of wind. He was thrown to the left, toward a tree trunk. "Woah!" He seized a branch to stop himself smacking into the tree, and soon found himself struggling to stay perched. He looked for cover; he initially thought there was no protection from the elements, but then he saw a hollowed log on the ground. That should do, until the storm calmed down.

Roberto was relieved when he dived into the log, out of the wind, but the roof was leaking, and various insects crawled above his head. He cowered there in great discomfort. _You idiot - you could've just asked her where she was going. And what does it matter as to whether I know or not?_ He cursed himself for being so stupid. The wind continued to howl, and the rain still thundered on the earth; was he going to stay here all night?

But then there was a friendly squawk close to his ears. Roberto turned around, toward the entrance; to his surprise, a yellow conure stood there, looking surprisingly cheerful despite the weather. A palm leaf was held to cover himself from the rain; Roberto was so surprised he had to blink several times to make sure the yellow conure wasn't a figment of his imagination. "Hello, fella! Quite a storm, ain't it?" The conure was speaking so cheerfully it was unbelievable. Roberto had to pause for several moments before he managed to reply.

"One of the worst I've ever been in." Roberto agreed.

"Well, what're you doing out here, in such appalling weather?" Asked the conure.

"Oh, I was just... I don't know." Roberto wasn't sure what to tell the conure. The yellow bird laughed.

"Well, if you're not busy, I'm on my way to a party - it's out of the rain, and it's terrific fun. Heard of the Danzas de Amor?" The yellow conure looked bright as he spoke. Roberto had never heard of it.

"Well, I know that means 'Dances of Love' in Spanish..."

"It's a club - well, everyone's so close we're a community. Everyone's friends. We always come together for celebrations, such as the start of a new year or the Festival of Stars." Roberto had heard of the Festival of Stars; the tribes celebrated it every year. Lanterns made of leaves were crafted, with a little flame making them float; birds would release them into the night sky, and the lamps were supposed to represent stars. It was about remembering deceased loved ones, sending their 'burning' love up to the stars from earth. The yellow conure continued to beam. "Come along, it's not far - there's some really great singers on tonight, and they serve coconut water." Roberto considered the offer; he supposed it would get him out of the rain, and his mind off Sophia.

"Okay." He rose to his talons.

"That's swell - let's go!" The conure looked enthusiastic. Roberto ducked under the palm leaf, and followed the yellow conure across the forest floor. To his surprise, the walk was incredibly short, and within moments they stood before the tree roots of an immense tree. The roots were long, thick and tangled, and the tree was by far one of the most massive he had seen. Roberto noticed that the gaps had been stuffed with forest debris to keep out the wind and rain. A piece of wood covered the entrance, but the sound of music reached his ears through it.

The conure stopped at the entrance; when he reached up, he did a peculiar series of irregular knocking. There was a pause, but then an amused voice. "That's not the secret knock."

"Oh come on Maximillo, it's me, Esteban!" The conure exclaimed.

"Of course it's you - only you get the secret knock wrong. What's the password?"

"Let us in, Maximillo! My new friend and I are getting soaked!" Esteban knocked again, and, finally, the piece of wood swung open. A large Hyacinth stood there; Roberto froze, remembering the Hyacinth tribe's reputation. But this one was plump with no scars, and he was laughing, in a jolly manner. Upon seeing Roberto's look of alarm, the Hyacinth gave a hearty laugh.

"Don't worry, fella - I'm not from that awful tribe!" At this, Roberto recalled that the non-tribal Hyacinths were known for being pleasant. The Hyacinth stood aside, sweeping his wing out to welcome Roberto and Esteban in. Esteban slapped his wing to the Hyacinth's, and ushered Roberto into the tree. The howling wind ceased as the piece of wood was returned, and Roberto halted in surprise at the scene before him.

The inside of the bottom of the tree was lit by a soft amber glow, and Roberto saw flickering flames along the walls, several feet between each one. There was a sea of birds dancing on the earth - birds of countless species, from macaws to Amazons to parakeets to wood quails, it seemed as though dozens of species were present. Heaps of branches lay on the end of the tree, as a stage - five Red-Bellied female macaws were singing together, while the crowd danced to the music. By the stage sides, birds were playing instruments to make the music; flutes made from branches and reeds, drums made of hollowed wood and leaves, and string instruments with grass strings. It was an incredibly pleasant atmosphere, warm and friendly.

"Yo, Esteban!" A Chestnut-Fronted macaw waved frantically. Esteban laughed, clapping Roberto on the shoulder.

"Have fun, pal! There's coconut water at the left side of the tree, if you want it. Enjoy yourself!" The yellow conure dashed toward the Chestnut-Fronted macaw, and was gone. Roberto blinked, and continued to look around his surroundings. He'd been to a few clubs before, but this one knocked spots off those ones. Then there was a familiar voice behind him.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Roberto!" A wing grabbed him by the shoulder. To Roberto's surprise, Felipe and Azalea stood behind him. Felipe was grinning; even now Roberto could hardly believe the hostility that had once raged. "We had no idea you came to the Danzas de Amor!" Felipe and Azalea looked bright and happy in the club, and Azalea was bouncing her toes to the music. Roberto made a little laugh.

"I actually just got here, Felipe - that yellow conure found me in this weather."

"Ah, Esteban's always bringing in new members." Azalea chuckled. "This weather is unbelievable, isn't it? The one day me and Felipe get time to ourselves happens to be the storm of the decade - typical."

"The worst - so you guys come here?" Roberto asked, and Felipe slung a wing around Azalea.

"We've been coming here for almost a year. We stumbled on it by accident and we've been coming here every few nights since." Felipe explained. "Today's a special occasion, though, for Azalea."

"Really?" Roberto turned to the female Scarlet macaw. "How come?"

"You may know already, but it's - oh, look!" Azalea's hazel eyes snapped to the stage, where the group of Red-bellied macaws were waving as they finished their song. The crowd began to clap and cheer, and several admiring whistles sounded from some males. As the group disappeared into the crowd, there was a burst of colour on the stage.

A female macaw - her chest and belly were orange, and she had a black throat. Her wings, head and tail were a mixture of colourful blue and green feathers, and she had bright, golden brown eyes. Roberto blinked when he failed to recognize her species, but Azalea answered his confusion. "That's Victoria, the owner of the club. She's a Catalina macaw; her mother's a Blue-and-Gold, and her father's a Scarlet."

The moment the hybrid macaw came on stage, the crowd began to cheer. She threw out her wings. "Hey guys! Another big thanks to the Red-bellied macaws, Camilla, Valerie, Gabriella, Luciana and Rosetta!" Once again, the crowd broke into applause for the group. Once the second round of praise had died down, Victoria began to smile widely, nodding toward Azalea. Azalea began hopping on the spot.

"They're bringing her on! This'll be the first time I've seen her sing! I wonder if she's wearing the eyelid shades?" _Eyelid shades?_ That rang a bell. Azalea began craning her neck; the leaves behind Victoria began to move slightly. Meanwhile, Victoria began to speak again.

"Up next is someone I hold very close to my heart, as do all you guys who've heard her before. She's only been singing here for a few months, but we all love her already!" The crowd shouted their agreement. "To our newest members who haven't seen her yet, prepare to see and hear an earth angel!" Victoria then dashed off the stage, leaving it empty; the instrument players then began to hit the instruments in a new song. Roberto's toes began to bounce, and he felt the urge to dance; that was a great beat.

The leaves were pulled aside by two hummingbirds; then a blue figure stepped out. Roberto was starstruck - his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her midnight blue eyes were so familiar - shimmering between some thick, sooty eyelashes. The area above her eyes was a deep blue-black, beautifully blended, making her eyes stand out and look all the more beautiful. A simple yet pretty white flower with pearly, shiny petals was tucked into the feathers by her left ear, and her periwinkle-tinted blue feathers were glossy in the light. _Periwinkle tinted. Midnight blue eyes. I know you..._

"Doesn't Sophia look beautiful?" Azalea said, in a hushed voice. "Victoria's right - she is an earth angel."

"And so are you." Felipe kissed his mate on the cheek. Meanwhile, on stage, Sophia was speaking, presumably an introduction before her song. Roberto didn't know what was happening - his heart seemed to speed up, and he hardly acknowledged the cheering crowd. _That's Sophia?_ He stared at her, making sure that it was definitely her. She looked so different - relaxed, calm, and when she spoke, it was loud and clear. She looked stunning.

"This is a little song suggested by the daughter of my friend, Jewel. She's only a chick, but she has great taste in music - you all remember her from the celebrations, don't you? Okay, I hope you guys like this one." Sophia smiled at the crowd, before her beak opened, and a vocalisation rang out - Roberto's heart jolted - before words, quieter than the vocalisation, followed. "I found myself dreaming, in silver and gold, like a scene from a -" Roberto lost Felipe and Azalea; the couple had gone off dancing, leaving him standing at the back of the dancing crowd. Sophia continued to sing on stage, looking more confident than she had back in the ravine.

"So I'm going to love you -" Sophia's voice filled the tree, and the crowd began to cheer. "-like I'm going to lose you -" Roberto felt his wings twitching as he felt the urge to dance; soon his tail was swishing across the floor as he found himself lost in the song, spinning across the floor. He was a fair dancer, so he got several impressed looks. But he barely noticed - he was listening to Sophia's voice.

It was unlike anything he had ever heard - it wasn't light and high-pitched like the girl group, it had so much more to it - soulful, strong, and like pure silver. Had Sophia really flown through this horrific weather to sing here? He could hardly believe that, but what struck him most was her voice. How had she never shown her talent to the tribe? He couldn't imagine why.

Sophia looked so different than she did back in the tribe. She looked so much more relaxed, and genuinely happy - she always seemed tense in the ravine, never completely content. Sophia was swaggering around the stage, singing her heart out - she didn't have a care in the world. Roberto was surprised when the music died down; was it really the end of the song already? The final verse? He hadn't realized that the time had flown so fast.

On stage, Sophia was singing the final words. "-When we'll run out of time so I'm going to love you, like I'm gonna lose you..." Her eyes closed, and her head bowed. "I'm gonna love you... like I'm gonna lose you." The instruments ceased, as did the dancing. There was a stunned, brief silence - then Roberto's ears rang at the immense applause. Birds shouted, squawked and whistled. Sophia was laughing, inaudible with the noise.

"Thanks everybody!" Sophia dipped her head. The Catalina macaw bounced back on stage, seizing Sophia and giving her a tight hug.

"Give it up for Sophia!" Victoria cried, letting her go and stepping away. She looked up with a grin, and a large square made of woven pink flowers landed at Sophia's side. Sophia seized the bottom of the flowers, pulling it up briskly and spinning as the flower curtain concealed her from view; then the piece fell to the floor, and Sophia was gone, vanished from thin air. Victoria clapped, laughing. "She always makes a dramatic exit!"

 ** _The song is 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You' by Meghan Trainor and John Legend. Wish I had song-writing skills!_**


	5. Something different

"Hello?" Felipe waved his wing in front of Roberto's face, tapping his shoulder. "You've been standing there for a while, anybody home?" Roberto jolted, turning to look at the Scarlet. He looked at Roberto expectantly, before rolling his eyes as Roberto snapped out of his frozen moment. "Wasn't Sophia great? I've never heard such a thing."

"Great? She was fantastic!" Azalea practically sang. "She sung a few little ditties with me, but her voice is so powerful! It's none of that flowery, high stuff - that's a unique voice with pure soul!" Her hazel eyes then lit up. "Sophia!" Azalea dashed past him. Roberto turned his head, trying to recover from his awe.

Sophia had appeared from a gap in the tree wall. She ran to Azalea, eyelids wiped clean, but the flower still sitting in her head feathers. She was breathless and giggling, and the pair made a tight hug on reaching each other. "How did I do?" Sophia asked, shyly.

"Soph, you never told me you sang like that!" Azalea looked stunned; her eyes were popping. "You'll have to teach me your little magic trick - what a exit! And what a song!"

"Well, I didn't write it... you know Carla, don't you? She had this little thing from where she was born, and it had songs on it. One day she heard me talking to you about a song choice, and then, bless her heart, she suggested it to me." Sophia hadn't noticed Roberto. _What's wrong with me?_ he shook himself, trying to hide the shocked look on his face and look normal.

"It was a spontaneous performance, Sophia." Felipe agreed, from behind Azalea. Sophia looked up with a friendly smile; but then her eyes found the Spix's macaw beside the Scarlet. Suddenly, her eyes widened at the sight of him, as she recognized who he was. Roberto blinked, surprised at the flabbergasted look on her face.

"What... what are you doing here, Roberto?" She asked, in utter astonishment.

"I just... just got here before you sang." He replied. Sophia suddenly went pale, and her eyes widened.

"I..." She gazed at him for a few moments, before shaking her feathers. "Right. You, me, talk - now." Sophia turned to Azalea and Felipe, but Felipe held up his wings.

"We can see you want to talk, and we should be heading back now, anyway... our tribe'll be missing us." Felipe and Azalea looked at each other.

"See you soon, Sophia." Azalea gave her friend one last hug, before the two leaders turned and made for the exit. Sophia waved goodbye, before turning away and flying above the crowd to get to the side of the tree faster. Roberto followed, until Sophia lighted down beside a row of passion fruit shells, filled with water. Taking two, she flew up to one of the tree root walls, where there was a hollowed scoop. From here, they could talk above the dance, which they could overlook.

Roberto landed a few inches from Sophia, and she offered him a shell. Roberto took it with a smile; he realized from the scent that it was filled with coconut water. Sophia looked nervous, as she held the shell but didn't drink from it. She sat down. "So. Start talking - how did you find me here?" She asked, wearing a mysteriously worried expression.

"I followed you -" Roberto began, but then he paused at her strange look.

"You followed me... through this weather?" She blinked. Sophia looked surprised that he'd risk his neck to ensure her safety, and inside, she was touched to the core.

"At first. Then I lost you and had to stop. I was worried about you going out in this storm." He wrapped his wings around his knees as he sat down, a position he found most comfortable. "Then that yellow conure, Esteban, found me and invited me here. I had no idea you came here - I only came to get out of the rain, initially."

"And my performance..." She asked, anxiously.

"Enchanting." Roberto answered, quietly, in a hushed voice. Sophia blushed, the light skin on her face turning pink, disbelief shining in her eyes.

"You're just saying that. I'm okay, but I'm not... 'enchanting'. Vicky says I'm an 'earth angel', but I'm not that good..." Sophia looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. "She even jokes that it's my stage name."

"What's the matter with you? Didn't you see that crowd?" Roberto was gobsmacked. He stared at her in utter bewilderment. "You can see by their reactions that they think you're amazing. I mean... _Sophia..._ l can't believe you've never told anyone about this. Does anyone in our tribe know you sang, let alone in a club?" Sophia looked a bit guilty.

"Not a soul. Carla doesn't even know the whole story - she thinks I just wanted a new song to sing to myself, not to actually perform." Sophia bit her lower beak.

"Why?" He asked, frowning. Sophia looked away, in discomfort. "You don't want to tell me." He concluded, and Sophia glanced back at him. "Sophia, it's not..." Roberto stopped himself saying her brother's name. Sophia wouldn't appreciate him throwing accusations at Jespa. "Are you embarrassed?"

"No, not at all..." Sophia sighed. "Look, just promise me you won't tell anyone? If Zenaida and Jespa found out..." she paused. "Uh... well, let's just say they don't like the idea of me singing."

"What? Why would they -"

"Don't ask." Sophia cut him off. "Look... did you honestly think I sang well?" Roberto paused, frustrated, wanting to know why Zenaida and Jespa felt that way, but he sensed he would get on Sophia's nerves by hassling her for answers. Instead, he focused on the memory of her voice.

"'Well' doesn't even begin to cover it." Roberto replied. "I'm being honest - it wasn't from earth." Sophia smiled, amused at his words.

"You're exaggerating." She chuckled, but Roberto wasn't.

"It's true. How..." he looked down over the crowd. "How did you find this place?"

"Well..." Sophia smiled again, running a wing through her head feathers. "A few months ago, I was out flying by myself - I had a song stuck in my head, so I started singing a bit. Not loudly - I was vocalizing. I love doing it - there's something liberating about vocalizing to myself, out in the forest on my own. Anyway, Victoria heard me singing and we got talking. She mentioned her 'secret night club', and how I'd be perfect singing in there - I wasn't sure at first, but when I got on that stage I just felt my cares melting away." Sophia gazed down at the crowd. "These guys... they accept me for who I am. Back home... my family isn't exactly supportive of me."

"I've seen how Jespa is." Roberto said, and Sophia crossed her wings, exhaustion lingering in her gaze.

"He's not quite right. When he was alive, Dad reckoned he was hearing and seeing things that weren't really there. His negative emotions are a bit exaggerated, and his happy ones aren't enough. Jespa has a strange mind, everyone agrees with that. If I'm honest..." Sophia looked around, as if expecting him to jump out. "I'm actually really scared of him. We've never got on."

"Is that why he doesn't really like you?" Roberto guessed.

"Well... it's a contributing factor." Sophia murmured. Roberto blinked and frowned at this statement. "Let's not talk about him. Do you think you'll be coming here again? I come here almost every night... and I'm not going to lie..." Sophia smiled bashfully - such a pretty smile. "...hearing you commenting on my voice is just stupendous." Roberto seemed to feel a glow within his chest - he had never felt that before. He wasn't sure what that meant, but all he knew for sure was that he wanted to get to know Sophia better.

"I'll be here if you will." He promised. Sophia's eyes brightened, but before she could speak, the Catalina macaw called to her.

"Sophia! Mind if we discuss your next performance? I need to know when you want to sing next!" Victoria waved from below. Sophia glanced down.

"Okay, I'm coming! Roberto... I'll see you later." With one more glance - and a smile - at him, Sophia abandoned her passion fruit shell and fluttered away. Roberto gazed after her, seeing the flames' light bounce on her glossy plumage. He still wasn't aware as to what was going on around him - Roberto still heard the song in his head. There was something different about Sophia, compared to any other female.

 _She's special._


	6. Unwelcome guest

It was getting light by the time Roberto neared the ravine. He had left shortly after Sophia had gone to talk to Victoria, and the rain was now light, the wind breezy instead of gale-force. Sunlight poured over the Amazon, a soft golden light casting through the trees, tinting it the colour of pale honey. The light hit the abundant puddles and rain drops, sparkling and sending tiny rainbows radiating into the air. Despite the beautiful morning, Roberto sensed that more rain was to come. There were still grey clouds creeping across the sky, but despite the thought of more storms, his heart felt light.

He wasn't sure what it was. He just couldn't get that voice out of his head. Sophia sure was something - she always had been different, but when he thought about her now, the image of her was stuck in his mind. How he longed to talk to her now. The rain pattered gently on his feathers, with the humidity making his feathers go fuzzy, but he couldn't be in higher spirits.

"Thank goodness!" Boomed a voice. Roberto looked up, and saw Eduardo perching on a branch, looking annoyed. At first Roberto thought it was because of him, but then he heard a complaining voice. Z _enaida!_ Roberto was briefly shocked to see the elderly female with Eduardo. She was ill; why was she out here, in the rain, as gentle as it was? She should be in her nest, recovering from her stubborn cough. He was more so confused as to why they were both out here, together - Zenaida and Jewel's family had never got along. He remembered from his first day in the tribe as a chick, when Mimi and Tia - Jewel's deceased mother - had been talking about Zenaida. Zenaida had made a remark about Mimi's head feathers. Meanwhile, Eduardo looked relieved to see him. "You've been gone all night - in a storm like that. Whatever possessed you?"

"Did you see Sophia?" Zenaida asked, somewhat anxiously. The golden-eyed female coughed a few times, before going on, clutching her throat. "Jespa told me she snuck out of the ravine, covered in leaves." She looked irritated at this thought. "Why did she go out in such horrendous conditions?"

"What?" Roberto blinked, but then he remembered what Sophia had pleaded him not to do. Zenaida and Jespa could never know - why, exactly, he was unsure of. "Er... no, I haven't seen her." He lied, but Roberto had never been a very good liar. Zenaida narrowed her eyes, but didn't speak. Instead, she started spluttering again. Eduardo and Roberto flew backwards a little to distance themselves from Zenaida. But then there was a rustle from the trees - an unwelcome appearance.

"Mother! What are you doing out here?" Jespa appeared like a lightning bolt from the leaves. He glared accusingly at Roberto and Eduardo, as if blaming them for Zenaida being outside. Eduardo's pale green eyes flashed with impatience.

"For your information, Jespa, she insisted on accompanying me on finding Roberto and Sophia." Eduardo informed him. Jespa's eyes flashed like how Eduardo's had.

"I told you not to waste your time." He whirled around to Zenaida. "If Sophia wants to go out into the storm of the decade like some lunatic, let her." Zenaida's face twisted in some form of pain, but Roberto sprang to answer.

"She's no lunatic, Jespa." Roberto leapt to Sophia's defence. "She's brilliant." Jespa froze. He turned slowly, eyes slitted with suspicion and hostility.

"'Brilliant?' Have you lost the plot?" Jespa snarled. "Where's your evidence?" Roberto almost blurted it out, but held it back. Jespa hissed at him. "You might want to watch yourself around her - she's not as sweet as she makes out."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roberto asked, feathers beginning to bristle. He was disgusted by the utter disrespect Jespa expressed for his own sister.

"Leave it!" Zenaida interrupted. "Jespa, go home. I need fresh air, anyway - Mateo thinks it'll clear my lungs."

"No, mother - _you_ go home and rest. I will find my reckless sister." Jespa said, totally ignoring Zenaida's last sentence, saying the last part rather bitterly. Zenaida sighed, before admitting defeat, turning and flying away in anger. Roberto was confused by their relationship - Jespa didn't treat his mother that well, but he still loved her dearly - maybe a bit too much. Zenaida did love her son - Jespa was certainly a macaw only a mother could love - but she criticized her children a lot. Eduardo was about to speak to Jespa, possibly to reprimand him for his comment, but then the worry in his expression drained completely.

"Sophia - such a relief to see you safe and well." Eduardo sighed. Roberto turned around, once again feeling that bizarre new feeling of warmth. Sophia, feathers fluffy and tousled from sleep and the weather, glided through the trees, landing on the branch beside them. Eduardo looked worriedly at the scoremarker. "Whatever came over you, to leave in that weather?"

"Oh, I... wait, how did you know I left?" Sophia asked, but then she saw Jespa. Her relaxed expression fell. "Oh." She said, in a small voice. " _You_ saw me go."

"Eduardo!" Mimi's voice then interrupted, from some distance away. "You're needed in the ravine - one of those little snakes got into a hollow again!" With that, Eduardo left, leaving Roberto, Jespa and Sophia alone on the branch.

"Well, thanks to your stupidity, our frail mother just risked her health coming out here to search for you." Jespa's harsh voice broke the silence. Roberto turned in surprise, shocked by the acidity of Jespa's voice. Then he recalled what Sophia had told him last night - he wasn't right in the head. The coldness of his words made Sophia flinch, and Roberto felt an overwhelming desire to defend her from her brother's words, but his brain didn't react. He was too occupied in watching the scene unfold to act.

"Jespa, I'm sorry, I just -" Sophia tried to protest, but then Jespa's wing darted out, seizing her wing in the middle joint. Sophia jumped out of her skin at this action, and she frantically tried to dislodge her brother's grip. She didn't look too shocked - maybe it wasn't the first time, but regardless, she looked afraid. "Jespa, I was just -" her eyes were round with fear, and no matter how much she shook her wing, Jespa's tight grasp didn't loosen.

"That's no excuse! Zenaida's sick, how could you be so selfish?" Jespa demanded, his feline-amber eyes burning with fury. Meanwhile, Roberto came to his senses - disgust and horror flowed through him as he saw the grip Jespa had on Sophia's wing. He lunged forward.

"Let her go, Jespa!" He grabbed Jespa by the wing, wrenching it from Sophia's. Sophia took a step back, clinging onto the part of her wing Jespa had grabbed, pain twisting her face. Jespa shoved Roberto in the chest, so heavily he almost fell back.

"What's your problem? This is none of your business!" Jespa literally spat at him, spittle flying. "She's my sister, I'll say or do whatever I like."

"It is my business when you're grabbing her wing like that!" He retorted, shoving Jespa back. Jespa's wing rose, to hit him, but Sophia shoved herself between them, wings up to block the swipe.

"Stop it!" She hissed. "Jespa, just go away. _Please."_ Jespa stood there for a couple of moments, wing trembling, clearly tempted to bring it down. But after a few terrifying moments, it went slack.

"Alright." He said, in a surprisingly calm voice. Sophia and Roberto both looked at one another, with Sophia sighing and shaking her head. She then pushed past him, covering her face, and flew into the trees. Roberto went to follow her, but then something seized him by the shoulder. Jespa froze him in the icy depths of his amber eyes. "Be careful around her. She may look like an angel..." he paused, and Roberto stared at Jespa. "But she sure isn't one." Jespa then let go of his shoulder, before turning and flying away in an eerily calm manner, leaving him lost for words.

Roberto continued to stare after Jespa, with utter shock. His shoulder thudded from Jespa's grip, and he glanced down to make sure it wasn't bruised - then he felt a pang of worry, remembering how Jespa had grabbed Sophia's wing in the same way. He whirled around, as swiftly as he could, to catch up with Sophia.

Meanwhile, a pair of narrowed eyes glowed from some leaves. Jespa's icy stare fixed on Roberto as he left, then he hissed in a grating voice. "I'll be watching you, Roberto." Jespa snarled to himself. "I will be watching him, won't I?" He wasn't talking to himself now - talking to the empty space beside him. In his mind, he wasn't alone, but to anyone else, he stood there, talking to thin air. "And I'll be watching her, too."


	7. Crashing down

Sophia stood on the branch, back against the tree trunk, her left wing holding the right, the one Jespa had grabbed. The back of her head rested against the wood, her eyes closed. Her heart was going ten to the dozen - fluttering like a hummingbird's wing. She flinched when she felt the part Jespa had seized - he had never grabbed her wing like that before. It wasn't the first time, but never had it been so strong or brutal. There was no explaining this to Roberto.

"Sophia? Where are you?" His voice rang out, sending a chill down her spine. She dreaded his questions - dreaded him getting involved. _He can't get involved! He can't be around me, not after ..._ Sophia covered her face. She desperately wanted to call to Roberto - she always loved talking to him. She had always found him to be a good friend, ever since he had first arrived in the tribe. She remembered seeing him for the first time - all by himself in the big ravine, like a little lost jaguar cub. She could've befriended him there and then, had Zenaida not called her away. Her childhood had not been fun at all, made miserable by Jespa and Zenaida.

Sophia was split over her relationship with her mother. Zenaida was not the most warm and loving mother of all, but she had defended Sophia countless times from Jespa's anger. _But then, after what had happened with dad..._ Sophia cut off that thought at the sound of wings. There was something she couldn't forgive Zenaida for.

"Sophia..." Roberto had appeared at her side, seemingly out of thin air. She had been so lost in thought she hadn't seen him land on the branch. His blue eyes were disturbed, and filled with something else - genuine concern, and care. Sophia felt a pang - hardly anyone showed concern for her, or care. His wing tips brushed her wing, and she flinched. Roberto's eyes flashed with fear. "Let me see, please." Sophia hesitated.

"It's fine, honestly..." Sophia tried to protest, but when she saw the look on his face, she found her attempts of resistance useless. Giving in, Sophia allowed him to gently take hold of her wing. Roberto held her wing so gently, it was as if it were suspended in air, rather than held by someone. He looked up at her worriedly, then she felt him tense up as he brushed back the feathers, revealing the skin beneath.

"It's bruised." He almost whispered the sentence. Sophia clenched her beak, and pulled her wing from his grasp, wrapping it around herself.

"It's not his fault." Sophia began, but her next words stuck in her throat at the mortified look on his face.

"I can't believe... you're actually defending him? After what he just did and said?" Roberto spluttered. "Sophia, he's your brother! Siblings don't do that! Siblings protect and love each other, not this!"

"What would you know about siblings?" Sophia asked, sharply, desperately looking for an excuse.

"I know because I had a sister." Roberto retorted; then his eyes flooded with memories and sorrow, and he looked away. Sophia felt a heavy twinge of guilt.

"I'm sorry. I..." she blinked. "I never knew you had a sister." Roberto nodded heavily.

"I never told anyone the details." He admitted. He shook his feathers. "It doesn't matter. Sophia, has Jespa done that before?" Sophia tried to keep her beak shut, but knew Roberto wouldn't settle for that.

"He never does it that hard... it's his brain that does it, not him." Sophia insisted. "We can't help him - I just got on his nerves. He's very sensitive when it comes to Zenaida."

"But that gives him no right!" Roberto cried, taking hold on her shoulders and looking into her eyes with his worried expression. She couldn't bring herself to look back. "Sophia, you can't let him do that ever again. You're a brave bird - you always stand up for yourself. Why won't you defend yourself from him?" Sophia knew the look on her face said it all. Roberto's voice was stricken. "I know he's your brother, but you can't just let him bully you - especially not like this. You have to do whatever's necessary to stop him grabbing your wing like that again. If you won't, I will."

"I don't need protecting!" Sophia protested, feeling a surge of panic. "Besides, it's none of your business. You shouldn't have to go through such bother, just for me."

"I'd do anything for a friend -" Roberto paused briefly. "Especially for you, above anyone else." Sophia blinked, and finally looked up at him. She wasn't sure why he would say that - but something told her it wasn't just her singing voice. There was something else.

"Why?" Sophia asked, quietly. They stood there for a few moments, briefly unable to break eye contact. Then Roberto's wings dropped from her shoulders, and he suddenly looked rather awkward. Sophia then sighed. "Okay. If you want to look out for me, I can't stop you. Just don't ruffle Jespa's feathers, okay? I don't like admitting it, but he's dangerous." Sophia regretted saying that last sentence - it would make the situation worse.

"Okay." Roberto replied, but he still looked troubled. Sophia felt her emotions swirling within her - for some reason she wanted to give him a hug. Maybe that would make him feel more assured? Without thinking, Sophia stepped forward and wrapped her wings around him. Roberto jumped in surprise - at first, she was afraid he'd push her away, but then he returned it.

Sophia rarely hugged anyone - the only recent hug had been with Jewel, when she had returned a few days before, and with Azalea last night. Before that she had gone some time without a hug, since her mother and brother were certainly never up for one. This was by far the most memorable hug - she could hear his heart beating under her ear, and she had never felt this warm or safe. After a few moments, the moment was disturbed by a sudden cascade of rain onto their heads. Immediately they broke apart. "Ugh!" Sophia shook her feathers, looking up. The large leaf above, with a dip directly above their heads, was slowly pulling back into place. The weight of so much rainwater had finally made it spill it's contents.

Roberto shook his head, scattering raindrops. Sophia looked up at him, where his crest feathers lay in a mop over his head - he looked ridiculous. She tried not to laugh, but she couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing, and then so did he - she probably looked funny herself, covered in water. "Okay, we should get back - look at the weather." She indicated to the darkening sky. More rain was to come.

"Good idea." Roberto agreed. To her relief, he sounded cheerful-sounding. Maybe he would forget about Jespa - she hated being fussed over. But in Roberto's mind, the worry still remained. Jespa couldn't be trusted.

 _Later_

Sophia watched the rain pouring down from her hollow. It was a small, rather ancient tree - her friends had tried to persuade her to move out, telling her it was dangerous living in such an old and weak tree, but she was sure it could withstand a lot. Besides, it was old and, according to the elderly macaw who had lived in it before her, had withstood worser weather than this. Those words hadn't directly come from the old resident - Jespa had passed on the message. She didn't see the need for finding a new one anyway, as she frequently spent nights around her mother's, as her ill health meant Zenaida needed keeping an eye on.

One of the few things she and Jespa had agreed on was the sleeping arrangements; she spent at least three days a week sleeping in the branches of Zenaida's tree in case her demanding mother needed something in the middle of the night, or if the healers needed to be summoned. Jespa took the other four nights of the week - whenever it was her turn he disappeared to his own tree. She would've taken more shifts, but Jespa insisted. A good thing, perhaps.

She found her gaze wandering across the home of Blu and Jewel. It was so much bigger than hers, as tall as Roberto's, suitable for a family. From here, she could make out the silhouettes of the sleeping couple in the entrance, just out of the appalling weather. She was so envious. She'd always loved the idea of having someone to love, having kids. She had never had the opportunity. At nineteen, she could've gotten settled years ago. Spix's macaws could have chicks as early as five years or so, but since nobody stayed in a relationship with her for long, it was impossible.

She closed her eyes, remembering the last male who had gotten close to her. Jacques had been the last of several males over the years, all of whom had mysteriously disappeared or cut off all ties with her after a certain point. She had lost count of how many times her heart had been broken. Maybe they had broken things off because of a terrifying brother-in-law, for Jespa had always treated her partners like utter dirt.

Sophia was then made aware of a groaning sound. She frowned, and looked up, but it wasn't coming from above - it was from below. She attempted to look over the hollow edge, but the hammering rain and howling wind forced her back. Had the wind ever been so powerful? Sophia pushed forward, clinging onto the side, and managed to look over the edge. She frowned again - pools of water gathered at the foot of her tree, and there seemed to be more roots than before, and the old ones that had always been there seemed longer. She blinked - hadn't soil once covered them? The pools of water swirled at the roots, and then there was yet another groan and gust of wind.

Suddenly, the world seemed to go lop-sided. Then Sophia realized why - not the world, but the tree. Before she could leap out of the entrance, there was a loud series of snaps, and a squelch of mud - she was thrown back. Sophia let out a squawk of panic as the tree began to fall, the roots tearing from the mud. She tried to dive out of the entrance, but then she realized that there was no time. She could only scream as the ancient tree crashed to the earth.


	8. Scrape with death

Roberto was awoken by a loud crash. His eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright from where he had been lying in his nest. His heart thudded as the groaning sound of splintered wood filled his ears - he could have sworn that he heard a scream before that terrible crashing noise. There was a brief moment of silence, then the voices of his tribemates erupted over the storm. Roberto leapt out of the nest, racing to the entrance. He stopped at the sight before him.

Despite the darkness of night and the still-pelting rain, he could see the corpse of the fallen tree easily. It's roots, once buried in earth, had been ripped from the ground. They twisted and clawed at the air, like old talons, traces of mud still clinging on. The longer roots had been snapped, and the tree rolled ever so slightly still. Leaves flew through the air, and vines were trapped underneath the trunk. It was already submerged in a cerulean ocean of macaws.

Blue forms raced from the trees - the sound of the falling tree had travelled far. Voices rose above the storm. "Who's is it?" Cried somebody.

"Someone get Eduardo!" Shouted another. Roberto flew into the rain, ignoring the water, to push through the crowd. Confused voices rang in his ears, as they tried to figure out who owned the tree - and, most importantly, where this bird was. In the corner of his eye, Bia, Carla and Tiago were poking their heads out of their tree, with Blu and Jewel trying to keep them there despite their curiosity - it was too dangerous for children.

"Who's tree is it?" Jewel cried, over her shoulder.

"Somebody tell Zenaida and Jespa - it's Sophia's!" Shouted Mimi, landing beside Jewel, Blu, and the kids. Roberto's heart lurched - then he was consumed by an unbelievable terror. He tried to shove through the crowd, but when this didn't work, he flew over them instead.

"Sophia!" He cried, frantically, trying to spot her amongst the ruins of the fallen tree, but failed to see her periwinkle-blue feathers in the dark. He landed on the tree trunk, skidding on the wet leaves that had settled on top - he squinted into the middle part, where the hollow entrance had been, but couldn't pick it out. _I feel blind!_

"Be careful!" Eduardo's voice rang out. "The tree is on a slope - if it rolls, it could crush Sophia!" But the question haunted everyone's minds - what if she already was crushed? Roberto looked over the back of the tree, and he saw it perched just on the edge of a hill that was sloping a few foot.

"Sophia!" Roberto shouted again - then a beam of light shot onto the tree trunk. He looked up in surprise, then he saw Blu on the trunk too, with the object he called a torch. He looked at Blu in gratitude, before following the light beam as it searched. Then he glimpsed something. "Move it back over that spot!" Roberto gasped. Blu moved the torch's light back, and then it found the hole that was the hollow entrance. An edge of a wing poked out. It was limp and motionless. "I see her wing - she's in the hollow!" He reported to the crowd. Roberto tried to reach for the wing, but hardly an inch poked out from the hollow. It would be impossible to pull her out.

"Move the debris aside!" Eduardo commanded, landing on the tree trunk between Roberto and Blu. Immediately, macaws swarmed forward to get the heaps of vines and branches away from the front of the trunk. "Blu, keep the light on Sophia!"

Roberto leapt down, shoving branches aside, desperate to reach the entrance and see if Sophia was alive. The wait was torturous, as they struggled to clear a path to the hollow. But then the branches wouldn't give way - most of them were too heavy here, or pinned down via the trunk. Only one would be able to fit and see into the hollow or access it. He threw himself flat to the ground, and inched forward, to near the entrance - it was hardly a three inch gap between the entrance edge and the floor. Her wing tips lay exposed, but further in the dark, he couldn't make her out. "Blu, light, please!"

There was the sound of talons landing on the earth behind him, then light poured into the black gap. Sophia's face was illuminated. Brown mud streaked her feathers, and the contents of her nest lay strewn about her. A cut was slashed into the skin of the side of her neck, and a thin bead of red trickled. Her eyes were closed, and her cheek was pressed into the mud, but she was breathing, by some miracle. "She's alive!" Roberto said, over his shoulder. Blu passed on the message to the crowd, and there were cheers of relief. But the joy was short-lived - by now, the crowd could see how small the gap was. Sophia was trapped in the hollow, and she couldn't be pulled free.

"We're getting her out of there!" Mimi shouted, from the back of the crowd. "Is she conscious?" Roberto looked into the gap, about to call her name, but Sophia was moaning softly, and frowning. Her eyes fluttered open, only to squint with the torch light glaring into her eyes.

"Roberto?" She groaned, seeing his blurry silhouette. He had never felt so much relief in his life.

"It's okay, Sophia - can you move?" He asked. Sophia closed her eyes, and shifted ever so slightly.

"I'm not stuck or pinned down, if that's what you're asking." Sophia shook her head, and lifted herself from the floor, but hit her head on something. "Ouch." She hissed.

"Try not to move, we're getting you out of there!" Blu said, over Roberto's shoulder. "Eduardo, Sophia's trapped in the hollow - what should we do?" Immediately, suggestions were shouted out. There was no way the tree could be pushed off Sophia - they were macaws, against a _tree._

"What about we dig around the back to loosen it up? It could roll right off her without harming her!" Shouted somebody.

 _"Wouldn't that take a while?"_

 _"That sounds dangerous!"_

 _"Do you have any better ideas?"_

"It's getting claustrophobic in here!" Sophia cried. Roberto was then aware of the pounding rain collecting in the dip Sophia was in - the tree was sinking deeper into the squleching mud, and the gap seemed to be getting smaller already. Sophia lay in a puddle of water and mud, the tree sinking more and more with every passing moment. Everyone else seemed to have noticed this, for frenzy broke out as macaws rushed to find a way to get Sophia out. Most dived behind the tree trunk, beginning to dig at the soil underneath to roll it away from Sophia, but it would take far too long and the mud was causing it to sink further.

Roberto, out of options, frantically began scrabbling at the gap, his talons soon growing brown from digging, the puddle that had formed under Sophia beginning to spill out and cause more material to rush in and replace the mud he had shifted. Sophia, hunched in her ever-limiting space, tried to dig at the ground too, occasionally pausing to try and push herself under the gap. Roberto began to slow down, for the task was beginning to exhaust him, although he tried to put in more effort.

Sophia then screeched as the tree suddenly sank another inch or two, pushing her back down. "Roberto!" She cried, in panic. Roberto gasped, and then, ignoring the ache spreading through his back and talons, he threw himself at the gap edge, battering it with his claws and beak while Sophia desperately tried to dig even more.

"Get her out!" Shouted someone above the storm. "It's sinking faster!" Roberto looked down, praying for the gap to be large enough. Sophia threw herself flat, thrusting her head under the gap and trying to wriggle free - the tree sank dangerously, scraping her back - if it sank onto her spine the results would be disastrous. She cried out again, and Roberto seized her wings, pulling with all his might.

Sophia scrabbled with her talons, desperately crawling - then she came shooting out from the gap. Roberto gasped, not expecting this - with the great force of his pull, he flew backwards, straight onto his back. Sophia crashed down, onto the mud, wings wrapped tightly around him. She lay there, huddled, breathing alarmingly fast, eyes screwed shut. She was shaking, in pure terror, her feathers brown from mud. Behind her, the gap had collapsed - mud and wood choked the former gap, absolutely sealing off the hollow.

Roberto shook her, but she was too shocked to respond. He scrambled to his feet, gathering Sophia up into his wings. She seemed barely conscious, trembling like a leaf, unaware of what was going on around her. There was a terrified silence, as the crowd watched Roberto moving out of the labyrinth of branches and debris, Sophia invisible to them - then he turned, and cheers erupted when they saw that she was breathing and relatively unscathed. "Get the healers." Eduardo said, urgently, to a macaw. "And for goodness sake, why hasn't anybody alerted her family yet? Roberto, take her to your nest - out of the rain. Everyone else, make way!"

Roberto headed for his tree, as Eduardo had instructed - the crowd parted to let him through, many congratulating him for helping her escape. He barely heard them - he could only hear his blood roaring in his ears. When he reached the tree, and was finally in the shelter, Roberto put Sophia into the soft moss of his nest, and crouched over her, terrified of the possibility of an injury he hadn't seen.

Sophia lay motionless for several moments, eyes closed, mud splattering half her feathers and the majority of her side. The slash in the side of her neck continued to produce crimson liquid, but it was slowing down. Then, to his relief, she moved, and looked up at him with dazed eyes. "Roberto?" She asked, sounding exhausted and disoriented. "What... what happened?" Roberto couldn't resist smoothing the ruffled feathers of her face - his wing didn't retract, but stayed there.

"Your tree fell." He explained, gently. Sophia looked outside, and then closed her eyes upon seeing the wreckage.

"The elderly macaw said it was safe to live in..." She shook her head. "You..." She looked back, wide-eyed, remembering. "You saved my life, didn't you? Thank you..." Her eyes shone with tears, and a grateful smile. She reached up to the wing on her cheek, covering it with her own. Then her smile disappeared, and so did his. An invisible force was drawing them closer - neither of them tried to resist it. Their eyes did not leave each other's, but just before their beaks touched, the moment was shattered.

"Sophia! Are you okay?" Both Roberto and Sophia pulled away from each other as Zenaida came running inside. He took a step back as the elderly female rushed to her daughter's side. "Oh, Jacinta told me what happened!" She frantically looked Sophia up and down. "Are you alright?" Sophia then looked stunned as Zenaida hugged her.

"I... I'm fine. In fact..." She looked at Roberto from over her mother's shoulder. "It was Roberto... he was the one who saved me, before I..." It was true. Had it not been for Roberto, Sophia would have been crushed or drowned in the mud. Zenaida looked as though she were about to hug him, too, but then a shadow cloaked Zenaida and Sophia.

"I see you got her out in one piece." Said Jespa, smoothly. But there was no relief or joy in his tone. His tone was utterly emotionless. He stood there, wings behind his back, with blank eyes. Roberto looked back at Sophia, where she held her bruised wing protecctively. She swallowed hard. Zenaida frowned, and looked between the two siblings; her eyes found Sophia's wing, the one she was covering, but then there was a great commotion.

"We're here! Sophia, how do you feel?" The tribe healers pushed into the nest, politely moving Zenaida aside to reach Sophia, who had drifted into a daze-like state, fatigue making her eyes flutter closed. Zenaida coughed a few times, before shoving past the healers, straight for Jespa. She seized his wing, dragging him outside. Roberto looked back at the healers and Sophia, before he followed the mother and son. Using the shadows to conceal himself from view, Roberto followed them.


	9. Chilling conversation

Zenaida and Jespa had disappeared into the roots of Roberto's tree - at first, they had been running too fast, and he had lost them briefly, but Zenaida's coughing had revealed their location. Roberto, hugging the shadows, slid against the wall behind them, the root concealing him from view. He held his breath, treading lightly, trying to listen and stay unseen and unheard.

At first, he thought about peering around or over the root, but realized that he would be easily seen. Then he spotted a slight rise in the root - it wasn't flat against the ground, leaving a gap. He felt a shiver run down his spine, remembering how the roots of Sophia's tree had been ripped from the earth. He assured himself that his tree was large, strong, and the roots dug deep - the elements would not be able to bring it down.

By now, the crowd had dissipated, some at the entrance of his home to see how their scoremarker was, but most had retreated to their homes. Many were at the foot of their trees, inspecting them to ensure that the rain hadn't washed too much soil away from the roots. The rain was now a light drizzle, and stars and an onyx sky were chasing away the grey clouds. That must have been the final storm.

Jolting out of his thoughts, Roberto crouched himself level to the gap, peering underneath. The back of Zenaida's feet were hardly inches from his face; looking up, he couldn't see her expression, but based by the sickened and worried tone of her voice, he could assume that she looked as stricken as she sounded. Jespa, meanwhile, wore his usual expression of thunder and annoyance.

"How dare you! This is the fifth time in two months!" Zenaida said, with utter disgust. "You have a problem, son, and you need to get your head examined - grabbing your sister's wing again!" Roberto felt a wave of shock. _He's done it before? Why did she never tell me?_

"She's faking!" Jespa snarled. "She's always been an attention-seeking and spoilt brat!" Roberto had to clench his beak shut to stop himself leaping out at Jespa there and then. Jespa's feathers were bushed with unobtainable rage. "Can't you see? She'll bat those sad, pretty little eyes like some jaguar cub, to get you to melt, just like how dad did when he was alive. She'll win you over and then she'll stick the thorn in it."

"Don't be so stupid, Jespa! Don't play that game again - it's getting annoyingly repetitive. She's the victim in this, not you." Zenaida snapped back - her right wing shook, and Roberto couldn't help but wish she'd slap her son across the face. "Get it into your thick skull - what happened when you were children was not her fault."

"I saw it happen!" _Saw what happen?_

"What you saw was an accident!" Zenaida spat, fiercely, before coughing several times. Once it passed, she went on with a firm voice. "It was my fault, and it was a mistake I'll regret for the rest of my days -"

"You're lying to protect her!" Jespa accused. "Your motherly love makes you blind - you can't take the blame for what she did. She's a spoilt, manipulative, twisted and malicious fool, and the tribe deserves to know what she did!" Then there was the sound of wing against cheek as Zenaida slapped him across the face.

"That was for being a spoilt brat, not for petty name-calling. Sophia didn't do it - I swear on your father's grave." _Do what?_ Roberto wanted to scream the question. Zenaida thrusted her beak forward, so she was right in Jespa's face. "You are to stop this business, and you are to stay away from her. I know what you're doing, Jespa - you're making her life a misery as part of your petty revenge scheme." Zenaida's feathers rose. "You constantly interfere with her love life - had you not scared Jacques and the last eight males she's fallen in love with away, I would have been a grandmother long ago. If you're not going to be the one to give me grandchildren, it has to be her."

"She doesn't deserve happiness!" Jespa blurted out. "My father turns in his grave, when she feels happy. I will get my way, mother, if it's the last thing I do!" Jespa spun round, tail sweeping across the floor. Then he looked back, with slitted eyes. "That Roberto. He doesn't know that he's just saved the life of a monster." Zenaida shook as Jespa flew away - then she coughed again, so violently it probably shook her lungs. Roberto ducked as she suddenly hopped onto the root, directly over him - he couldn't let her see that he had been eavesdropping.

She muttered under her breath. "I fear what he'll do when I die." She then landed on the root behind Roberto - she rose her head to the stars, unaware that he crouched barely a foot behind her. "I'm sorry, Andre. I really am. Maybe I'll see you again soon." Then she flew into the tree, leaving Roberto utterly confused. That conversation made barely any sense.

 _Later_

" _You_ are one lucky bird." Said Mateo, packing away the last of the medical herbs. Sophia sat in Roberto's nest still, where the dazed look in her eyes was almost gone. Roberto leaned against the wall behind the nest, unable to take his eyes off Jespa and Zenaida. Zenaida hadn't noticed, but Jespa was narrowing his eyes back at him. Roberto had been trying to figure out what their bizarre conversation had been about, with no success. He suppressed a frown at the suspicious look on Jespa's face. _Does he know I was listening?_ "Okay, I've given you something for the shock and I've put something on your wound - that pesky cut on your neck should heal within a few days because it's not too deep. I don't think we'll have to check on you again, but if that wound gets infected come straight to us. Clear?"

"Thank you very much, Mateo." Sophia sighed. "I'll keep an eye on it."

"Excellent." Mateo said, looking satisfied. "Just make sure nothing dirty gets into it and it'll be gone in days." Tucking the medical herbs under his wing, he nodded to Roberto, Zenaida, and Jespa - before turning and leaving the tree. Moments later, however, he popped his head around the corner. "Zenaida, I strongly recommend you get home. You need rest, if your illness is going to improve." He held a knowing look in his eyes - silent words were exchanged by their eyes. Sophia and Jespa were glancing between the two - were the healer and elder female keeping something from them, regarding Zenaida's illness?

"Alright, Mateo - I'm going now, anyway." Zenaida turned to Sophia, before resting a wing on her shoulder. "Look after yourself, flower." Sophia blinked, utterly puzzled by Zenaida's new kindness. Jespa made a gagging noise at the affectionate word, and Zenaida turned her burning golden gaze to her son, before speaking with her old, usual ferocity. "Jespa! Come with me. It's your shift tonight." Briefly, it looked as though Jespa was about to argue, but then he marched toward Zenaida.

"Get well soon, little sister." He muttered, before storming out, after his mother. Roberto watched him leave - his skin still crawled from the disturbing conversation he had witnessed. Sophia covered her forehead with her wings, and sank into his nest.

"This has been the worst day of my life." She groaned. She peeked up at Roberto through her wings. "My neck hurts, I'm homeless and I'm absolutely smothered in - ugh, I really hope this is just mud." She looked down her front, appalled by what she saw.

"I'm sure it is just mud. Do you want to clean yourself up?" Roberto asked, motioning toward the pool of water in his hollow.

"Trust me, I'd love to, but I'm shattered." Sophia's head nodded up and down occasionally - her eyes kept shutting and opening.

"You just get some rest." Roberto said, in a soft voice. "Don't worry, you can sleep there tonight. You know..." he ran a wing through his head feathers. "I don't mind if you live here, until you find yourself somewhere else... I do love the company." Sophia gazed at him, just about hearing his offer in her sleepy state - then she managed a sleepy nod.

"Thank you." She murmured. "If it weren't for you I'd be... long gone." then she yawned, and gave up, sliding into the bottom of the nest, burrowed in moss like a mouse. Roberto reached into the nest and tucked stray bits of moss around her, and she smiled in her sleep. His heart made a mysterious flutter.

He didn't mind her using his nest for tonight - he was happy to sleep outside. Casting a final glance at Sophia, Roberto flew silently to the tree entrance, where he settled against the entrance edge. The atrocious weather had ceased, to reveal a starry night sky - the tribe was at ease, now that the fallen tree posed no risk, the storm passed, and Sophia was going to be fine, the macaws were in the world of slumber.

He found his gaze sitting on Zenaida's tree - while she was no where in sight, the light blue patch outside it told him Jespa was there; he remembered how Zenaida needed someone at night in case of her needs or emergencies. Roberto couldn't tell whether his eyes were open from the great distance, but Jespa was turned his way. He jolted, remembering the conversation he had eavesdropped on. He had completely forgotten.

Roberto glanced back at Sophia, who slept in his nest, already in deep sleep - 'a monster'? 'Malicious'? Surely that was Jespa's exaggerated emotions talking. Looking at her beautifully structured and innocent face, Roberto couldn't believe Jespa's words. But then he recalled something from the morning.

 _"She may look like an angel, but she sure isn't one."_ Roberto's heart lurched again. Jespa was crazy, wasn't he? Of course Sophia couldn't have done anything. But then, they all had secrets - a fact he knew all too well. Roberto shivered as a cold wind ruffled his plumage - whenever was it cold? It was the _Amazon Rainforest,_ for goodness sake.


	10. To Ecuador and back

"For the last time." Sophia said, with incredible annoyance. "I am completely, utterly, one-hundred percent fine." She was still exhausted from the events of last night, and she had a few bruises from being tossed about her hollow as the tree fell. It had taken her half an hour to clean up that morning - the dried mud and tree matter had dried in her feathers, and it had been a pain to get rid of.

"Your tree fell, and you're telling me you're fine?" Victoria stared at Sophia, in shock and bewilderment. Sophia crossed her wings. From the moment she had woken up, Roberto had asked her how she was feeling. She hadn't minded that. She also hadn't minded Blu and Jewel asking how she was, either, or Eduardo or Zenaida. But after the seventh macaw had asked her, she had felt a feeling of annoyance, a feeling that increased everytime someone asked her the same question. By the time she had escaped the ravine and found Victoria, she had lost count of how many macaws had asked her how she was feeling. She regretted telling Victoria, now.

"Yes, Vicky. I am absolutely fine." Sophia managed to suppress the frustration in her voice, not wanting to offend the Catalina macaw. "Can we not discuss this any further? My tree fell, I was rescued in one piece, end of story."

"Well, if you insist." Victoria said, although she still looked concerned. However, like Vicky always did, she bounced back to her happy and bouncy self. "Anyway, I asked you to meet me here because we need voices." At Sophia's look of puzzlement, Victoria rolled her eyes in amusement. "New talent!"

"Are you firing me?" Sophia teased.

"Not in a million years." Victoria laughed. "We have the same birds singing every week, and even I'm getting bored of the Red-Bellied Sisters singing that same song every time."

"What do you propose?" Sophia asked, leaning back against the tree trunk, plucking a few berries off the acai strand between herself and Victoria. The Catalina macaw popped a berry into her beak, chewing thoughtfully.

"You have a large tribe, don't you? You guys have a reputation for having talented birds, and I was wondering if you'd like to offer some of them a job."

"Oh, I..." Sophia almost choked on the acai berries. Of course they had talent - Carla had a great singing voice, but she was too young, and Sophia doubted Blu and Jewel would appreciate their daughter going out in the middle of the night. Sophia had plenty of friends with voices like diamonds, but most of them were occupied with their families. Besides - the more of her tribe members knew, the more likely it was that word would reach Jespa. She couldn't imagine what Jespa would do, but since he was determined to make her life a misery, he'd do anything to stop her singing. That was why she had never told a soul with cerulean feathers about her singing. "They're very busy." She insisted. "It's been a hectic time, you know, with the return of our patriarch's daughter and getting rid of the loggers..."

"Are you sure?" Victoria asked, in disappointment.

"Well..." Sophia began, but then she paused. "Totally sure."

"You hesitated." The area above Victoria's left eye rose. Sophia tried to protest, but Victoria interrupted. "Please, tell me!" She pleaded, hopefully.

"Well, there is one guy." Sophia said, slowly, but as she spoke more, her voice became warmer. "He's got this amazing voice... he sings, he dances, he's really nice, and..." _Why do I sound like a teenager with a crush?_

"Really? Interesting, we don't have a lot of male singers." Then Victoria's eyes widened, and danced with excitement. She had an idea, clearly. "Say, do you two get along?"

"Get along, Vicky? He's the one who rescued me from the tree, and last night he said I could live with him until-"

"Woah, woah!" Victoria gasped, eyes popping. "You're living with him? That's amazing!"

"No, no, it's really not what you think... it's just a temporary thing, until I find somewhere else..." Sophia looked around, cheeks burning, hoping no Spix's macaws were listening. "Look, yes, we get along - why do you ask?"

"A duet! What do you think about that?" Victoria threw her wings upwards, enthusiastically. "Imagine it - a male and a female, as a singing pair. We've never had that before! I've only ever had solos or three-plus groups, never a pair singing. Sophia, if he's as good as you say, I seriously think you should propose singing as a pair."

"But..." Sophia tried to protest, but deep down, there was nothing she wanted more. A chance to sing with Roberto? Her heart skipped a beat, but before she could reply, a voice rang out from above.

"Baby! Where are you?"

"Coming!" Victoria shouted back. "That's my other half, Soph - he's a Blue-and-Gold, if you're wondering. He's very dashing! Anyway, I gotta go, we're introducing our parents to one another. Bye, Sophia - I'll meet you tonight! Try and bring your singing roommate!"

"It's temporary!" Sophia insisted, as the brightly coloured macaw darted into the leaves above, out of sight. Rolling her eyes, Sophia fluttered away, intent on erasing the smell of mud and leaf from her feathers. No matter how much water she'd applied, the scent of mud still lingered. She'd have to have one of her special washes.

It didn't take her long to find the coconut trees - she came here often, whenever she wanted an escape from life in the tribe, and from her troublesome family. But then, Zenaida had been treating her so kindly as of late. On the contrary, Jespa seemed to have gotten worse. She looked at her wing, resisting pushing the feathers back to see the bruise.

Going to the branch she always did, Sophia plucked a coconut. Piercing one of the 'eyes', she stuck it in a branch fork above, turning the pierced end downwards. She felt a wave of relief when the sweetly scented water trickled downwards, down onto her plumage. This was probably what kept her feathers so smooth and glossy - coconuts had so many beauty properties. As the coconut water carried the scent of mud away, Sophia let out a sigh. It was one of her favourite scents, other than orchids.

Once the coconut water had run dry, Sophia shook out her feathers, sending the drops scattering. She tested her wing, and was relieved to find that the smell of mud was non-existent, replaced by the sweet aroma of coconut. While she waited for her feathers to dry, Sophia remembered her conversation with Victoria. The hybrid macaw was right - the first singing duet in the Danzas de Amor would be exciting. Sophia wanted to sing with Roberto - but what if he refused? But then, why would he refuse? He wasn't afraid of singing before a crowd.

She was so nervous to ask him. What if this friendship turned into something more? But as Sophia checked her feathers, she had a feeling that it already was changing into something else. She was afraid, too. He could be just like the last eight - what if he vanished into thin air, or left her, like every single one of those males had? _Don't be so stupid. He's different._

 _Meanwhile_

Roberto tipped his head to the side, examining the nest he had arranged for Sophia. It was a few feet away from his own - and he had gone the extra mile to make it as comfortable as he could. Filled with the softest and least water-logged moss he could find, as well as downy feathers, he was positive Sophia would be grateful for his hospitality.

He couldn't believe how the last few days had flown by - it felt like months had passed since he'd seen her singing, rather than days. They had grown so close in this time, and he had learned so much about her. She was not as mysterious as she once was, but Roberto knew there was still something buried there. He hadn't forgotten that conversation between Zenaida and Jespa.

Jespa seemed to be getting worse. The bizarre macaw had, only hours before, screamed at some kids to 'get lost' when they had played too close to his tree. They had barely been making any noise, but Jespa had shouted at them regardless. It had scared the poor kids so much, several angry parents had gone to Jespa, hurling insults. This had only made the unstable bird angrier, and now, Roberto wasn't sure where he was. Poor Zenaida had had to face the music for him, as the parents had turned on her when Jespa had fled their harsh words. The elderly female had been targeted by the less sympathetic couples, many of whom had accused her of being a bad mother, and Eduardo and Mimi had had to step in to send the parents away. Zenaida was deteriorating by the day, and the stress wasn't going to make her feel any better. Hopefully the Spix's Wing would complete soon, and she could get some proper medicine - unfortunately, he wasn't sure if she'd live to see the day.

"I see you're making a nest for your new roommate." Said a dull voice. Roberto closed his eyes, and forced a friendly smile.

"Hello, Jespa. How are you?" He asked, turning around. Jespa stood there, an unreadable expression on his face. Why did he keep appearing out of nowhere? It was creepy.

"I'm here to talk about Sophia." Jespa announced. Roberto narrowed his eyes.

"I'm really not in the mood for a lecture, Jespa." He replied, sweeping together the spare nest material and dropping it into his own nest. "I already heard how much you hate her." Roberto then froze, cursing himself. _Me and my big mouth. Idiot!_

"So, you were eavesdropping, were you?" Jespa asked, his dull voice shifting to an angry one as he immediately guessed. Roberto refused to reply, casually busying himself with a flower growing in the wall, pretending to look for strangling plants or poisonous ones.

"What do you mean, eavesdropping?" Roberto did his best to sound casual and innocent - but then a pair of wings seized him by the shoulders, spinning him around and shoving him against the wall. He gasped, alarm bells sounding in his mind, as Jespa's wing shoved against his neck. Jespa's amber eyes blazed "What the?" He spluttered, trying to push him away, but for a scrawny male, Jespa was surprisingly strong.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Jespa spat. "I thought I heard something, behind that root. Now, listen to me, you freak. This is what you're going to do." He glanced toward Sophia's nest. "You're going to sweep that outside, and then you're going to tell her she can't stay here, capiche?"

"What on earth are you -"

"I'm not finished!" Jespa interrupted, the pressure on Roberto's neck intensifying. "Then, whenever she tries to talk to you, you're going to ignore her. You're never going to say another word to her - it'll be like you never met. Then, you're going to live happily ever after with some other female." Roberto stared, flabbergasted, hardly believing Jespa's words. "Do we have a deal?" He asked, expectantly. Burning rage tore through him as he realized what Jespa was asking.

"What is going on in your head? You're even more messed up than I thought!" Roberto declared, furiously. "Those parents were right - you're crazy!" Jespa's eyes flashed, with confusion.

"This usually works." He muttered under his breath. At this, a realization dawned upon Roberto. Reaching down, he surged forward, shoving Jespa off him. In utter shock at this rebellion, Jespa staggered, falling onto his back. He stared up at Roberto.

"What do mean, 'this usually works'?" Roberto demanded. "Is it true, what Zenaida said?" Jespa remained silent. Roberto narrowed his eyes. "Every guy who shows interest in her - you frighten them away? This is why she's never had a mate! Because you scare them off!"

"I -" Jespa tried to interrupt, but Roberto didn't let him.

"No! I have news for you, Jespa. _You_ are to stay away from her. All she wants is to be happy - I could make her happy." Roberto couldn't believe these words were coming out of his beak. _I could make her happy._ "You may want to scare me off like you've done with those other guys, but you don't scare me. I'm here to stay, and nothing you could say would change my mind."

"Oh? Maybe you'd be saying something very different if you knew." Jespa snarled.

"Knew what?" Roberto's feathers bristled.

"That she -" Jespa began, but then there were talons at the entrance.

"Roberto, I -" Sophia froze in her tracks, at the sight of the two angry males. She glanced between them, looking absolutely horrified. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing." Roberto said, quickly. "In fact, Jespa was just leaving, weren't you?" He said, meaningly. Jespa's eyes burned with utter hatred, and then he leapt to his talons, shoving Roberto purposely as he went - then, as he passed his sister, he suddenly swerved sideways, knocking into Sophia. She gasped as she fell forwards - but Roberto dived forward, catching her before she hit the floor. "Watch it!" He called, to Jespa, but he had a feeling Jespa ignored him. "Sorry." He apologized, helping Sophia to her feet.

"It's fine." She murmured, although they both knew it wasn't. "What did he want?"

"Er..." _I can't tell her._ "Nothing important." _What did Jespa mean?_

"Hmm. Okay." Sophia's eyes glinted with suspicion - obviously, she knew he wasn't telling the truth, but she didn't ask further questions. Then, she took both his wings. "Roberto - you know the Danzas de Amor?" Roberto managed to put Jespa at the back of his mind, for the thought of the club - and Sophia's singing - made him worry less about the disturbing encounter he had just had.

"Singing tonight, are you?" He asked - hoping she was, for he loved hearing her sing.

"Well, I was just having a chat with Victoria, the Catalina macaw - remember her?" At his nod, Sophia seemed to grow nervous. "Okay, we were just talking. She's concerned that the singers are all the same - she wants something new. She asked me if there was any talent in our tribe, so... I suggested you."

"Me?" He asked, in surprise.

"Yes... when I told her she asked more about you, and then she suggested that..." She gave him one of her dazzling smiles. "That we sing together. She's never had a pair singing before, so she's pretty excited about the idea. So... what do you think about that? Do you want to sing with me?"

"Sing with you?" Roberto asked, bewildered. "Sophia..." Sophia bit her lower beak, nervous at his answer. "...I'd fly to Ecuador and back to sing with you!"


	11. Thorns in the nest

Roberto and Sophia had lost count of how many rehearsals they had done over the past few hours. They had decided to use the club tree, so that they wouldn't be disturbed by any of their own tribe members, to practise their performance. The club looked so different during the day; it was empty, cool, and darker, a comfortable silence within it. They were standing on the empty stage, going over the verses, written on a palm leaf. The song had taken just under an hour to write - they had decided to go with something romantic yet not too flowery or over the top. Everyone loved a love song, but both of them weren't too sure as to whether this song was all that good.

"Okay, let's test our memories." Roberto said, looking at the palm leaf, frowning to himself. Uncertainty filled his voice. "Soph - recite the first verse...?" He spoke with an upward inflection, clearly questioning the song to himself. He glanced over the leaf, where Sophia was sitting on a branch that sat on the stage. She cleared her throat, and started to sing her line, somewhat awkwardly.

 _"Have you ever thought about someone, thought of them to be..."_ but then Sophia's voice faded. Roberto glanced up, and mouthed the words. But Sophia was shaking her head. "No, that's not it. This song just doesn't..." they stared at each other, unsure over whether to voice their opinions.

"...go." Roberto finished, and Sophia looked relieved that they were in agreement. "I know. I don't know what it is - I don't think it goes, either." He looked back at the leaf, almost embarrassed. "Ugh, my song-writing skills have hit a rock lately. I used to be so good, but now, the lyrics are just annoyingly bad. Stress, I think."

"Your lyrics? Have you seen mine? I'm terrible at song writing." Sophia groaned, getting up. "This is why I get my songs from others - I come up with the silliest rhymes. I mean, I borrowed our Beautiful Creatures song on my first solo, and 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You' came from Carla."

"That's it." Roberto snapped his wingtips. "How about we sing 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You?' I mean, it was so brilliant coming from you, I'm sure they won't mind hearing it again." Sophia blinked, with uncertainty.

"I don't know... I do love that song." Sophia was clearly tempted. "According to Carla, it was actually sung with a male human, as well as the lead female, so I think it could possibly work... and I haven't sung it for a few days, so I'm sure nobody will care that I already sung it. Okay, let's try it out."

 _Later_

Roberto had 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You' on repeat in his mind, as he sat on a branch, lost in thought. He had just returned from countless rehearsals, and he was exhausted. Sophia had gone to check on Zenaida, leaving him to himself. He was distracted, worrying about messing up the song, but the other thing on his mind was Jespa. His hostile face was swarming in Roberto's mind like a mosquito who refused to fly off - Jespa had returned to his thoughts when they had entered the ravine, met with a cold, amber stare.

The skin of his back still hurt, from where Jespa had pushed him into the wall - the thorns had dug in, and he was sure they had pierced his skin in places. They were stinging, too, even now. Or maybe he was imagining that, since he was thinking about that disturbing incident over and over. He had told Jespa that he wasn't afraid of him, but in reality, Roberto was frightened of the unstable male. He understood why Sophia had been so secretive about the club - Jespa was a freak, and Roberto was concerned for Sophia's - and his own - safety. Roberto had attempted to tell Sophia, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He just didn't want her to think he was trying to get rid of her brother.

"You look blue." Said a voice, as Mimi lighted down on the branch, to his surprise; he hadn't expected her to appear there.

"You think so?" Roberto asked, pointing at his wing, in an attempt at a joke. Mimi chuckled, before turning serious.

"Why the long face? You've been sitting there, looking miserable ever since you got there." Mimi sat down, wings crossed. "Allow me to guess - girl trouble?" Roberto looked up, in surprise. Mimi laughed. "I know the look. Whenever a guy worries about his lady friend, he wears that exact expression. Trust me, I had to see Eduardo with the same expression for days, when he met Tia..." once again, there was that air of sadness at the name of Jewel's mother. "Come on, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"It's not important, really..." Roberto tried to insist.

"I'm the tribe advisor, remember." Mimi reminded him. She looked at him, expectantly. "Enlighten me." Roberto hesitated for a moment, but then he realized how trapped he felt. He was empty of any ideas.

"It's not necessarily her. It's more her brother who's bothering me."

"Just to clarify, this is Sophia and Jespa we're talking about, right?" Mimi interrupted, and he nodded. Mimi seemed to shiver. "No wonder. Jespa was always a problem child, and I don't think he grew out of it."

"That's an understatement. He's just... interfering." Roberto said, uncomfortably. "His behaviour is beyond unsettling. And he absolutely hates me."

"Hates you?" Mimi asked, initially surprised, before the surprise vanished. "Well, that's expected. He's never liked any of Sophia's male friends, let alone her boyfriends."

"Woah, woah, we're not..." he started to protest. Mimi rolled her blue eyes.

"Fine, you may not be in a formal relationship. But honey - you're living in the same tree, and I know what a male looks like when he's love. You look at Sophia in the same way Blu looks at Jewel. Somehow, you always have seemed like that, whenever I see you looking at Sophia. Only now, it's perhaps so much stronger." Mimi blinked with sympathy. "Anyway, your best bet is just to avoid him. Sooner or later, he'll just give up and leave you both alone." Roberto wanted to believe that Mimi was right, but he just couldn't. Zenaida was right - Jespa was desperate to ruin Sophia's happiness for a reason Roberto didn't know.

"Thanks, Mimi." Roberto said, and turned to go.

"Remember, the Festival of Stars is in a few days!" Mimi reminded him, and he recalled the leaf-lamp celebration.

"I will!" He promised, before flying off the branch, toward his hollow. Roberto was exhausted; maybe a quick nap would make his mind clearer, for later. But as Roberto landed on the sand outside the entrance, there was a slight commotion inside. The hasty scrabble of talons across the floor, and a frantic flapping of wings. Roberto paused. "Sophia?" He asked, with a frown, entering the hollow.

The nest was empty - nothing looked unusual. Maybe he had just been imagining the noise within it. Shrugging, Roberto made a beeline for his inviting nest, before a leaf caught his eye. It was sitting under a stone, with black scribbles. Looking closer, he realized that the scribbles was actually neat writing, presumably charcoal.

 _My mother personally asked me to stay around her tree, tonight - it's not my shift, but she thinks Jespa needs to have some time at home, since he's having one of his more 'touchy' episodes. Sorry, we'll have to go tomorrow night, instead. I'll let Vicky know later, and I'll see you before bed. Sorry - at least you have more time to practice your lines. Love, Sophia._ 'Love, Sophia.' Roberto's heart warmed, before he frowned.

Had it been Sophia, leaving in a hurry? But then, why would she run away at the sound of him arriving back? _Must've been my ears._ Roberto was disappointed that tonight was called off, but at least he could go over the lines, like Sophia said in the note. The song was written out, tucked into a little hollow in the wall.

Pulling the lyrics leaf out of its gap, Roberto headed for his nest, before collapsing back into it like he always did - but then searing pain stabbed into his back. Roberto leapt up, with a shriek of pain and shock, scrabbling out of the nest. Yanking one free of his shoulder, Roberto spun round, feathers on end. Amongst the moss of his nest, little teeth poked out - green, small and sharp. Thorns pointed at every angle, sticking up from the moss, almost invisible against the green sea.

Heart thudding, Roberto seized the material, throwing it to the side, pricking his wings as he did; then he saw more thorns, sticking up from Sophia's nest, so he emptied that too. Hastily, he began pulling out all the thorns, heart in his throat. That was incredibly dangerous - how had he not seen the thorns, as he collected the nest material? How could he be so foolish?

But then he remembered the sound of someone making a hasty getaway. He thought it was just his ears, but now he wasn't so sure. Tiago loved to prank, but surely he would know that thorns in nests as a joke was bordering on being malicious. Besides, the wing flaps and steps had been far too heavy for a chick who was barely a few weeks old.

Roberto stared at the pile of thorns he had picked out - there were so many, it was no accident. _This was deliberate._ A flash of dark blue was snagged in the middle - the thorns strangled it, making it distorted and ragged. Gently, he pulled the feather out - one of the feathers from Sophia's nest. It seemed as though once he freed it, it returned to a smoother state. Gently straightening the feather out, Roberto shook his head. This was beyond abnormal.


	12. Uneasy thoughts

Roberto listened into Jespa's hollow, unease pricking like the thorns in his nest. Jespa was stalking up and down like a pacing margay, muttering inaudible things - occasionally, 'Sophia' was mentioned. The hollow was a mess, as though something had gone rampaging through it - stale moss and dirty feathers littered the floor, the ceiling was studded with gaps and leaking with water, and the unpleasant smell of rotting wood and damp filled his nostrils. A steady supply of thorns was growing in a cluster near the bottom of the tree - some had been picked. Either Jespa was a victim of coincidence - _fat chance,_ Roberto thought - or he had been the culprit. Of course it had to be Jespa who had put the thorns in their nests. There was no one else who despised them more.

 _But why?_ screeched the voice in his head. It was a frustrated question he had been thinking over for days. Jespa would likely tell him should he ask, but he was twisted. There was no way Roberto would get the real truth from the hateful sibling. The only answer was Sophia or Zenaida, the latter whom was now alarmingly frail. Was his only option Sophia?

 _What a cheerful conversation that'll be. Go on Sophia, tell me, what's this big secret and why does Jespa hate you so much?_ Roberto thought, bitterly. But then he froze. If it had indeed been Jespa in his nest... had he seen Sophia's note? _We can't sing tonight._ Jespa finding out about Sophia's singing was her worst nightmare. Maybe there was a chance Jespa hadn't seen the note?

Roberto took a step back, but there was a snap as he stepped on a stick. Jespa immediately whirled round. Roberto stiffled a gasp, as he dived behind the ivy that grew around the entrance. He pressed himself against the trunk, half hidden, as Jespa's head shot out from the entrance. Roberto's heart thudded, for he was hidden barely inches from Jespa - he hated to think what would happen if he was found. Jespa's suspicious gaze raked the surroundings; not far away, two chicks were playing in the adjacent tree. His eyes blazed with anger.

"Beat it!" Jespa roared, and the two chicks released frightened squeaks, before rushing away, stumbling and pushing over each other to get away as fast as possible. Roberto held back a sigh of relief as Jespa retreated into the hollow, muttering under his breath. As silent as he possibly could, he flew away, praying that Jespa wouldn't hear his flapping wings. There was no keeping this from Sophia. This was serious, and Roberto had to tell her what Jespa had done. Jespa was beyond mad.

Roberto's initial thought was that she was at Zenaida's; and he was right, for she was standing outside, looking lost in thought. "Soph!" He called, as he got in earshot. She looked up immediately, the glazed expression in her eyes fading somewhat.

"Hi, Robbie." She sighed. Roberto paused, hearing her sombre tone.

"What's the matter?" He asked, landing, all thoughts of Jespa and thorn stings subdued by her mood. Sophia wiped her eyes.

"My mother... she's saying some strange things." She murmured. "She's in a strange state. Confused, feverish. I mentioned the Festival of Stars to her - do you know what she said? 'What a wonderful night to die. A beautiful concluding night to my life.'" Roberto blinked, in surprise at this sentence. Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears. "I'm afraid, Roberto. She's had her illness for far too long, and she's only getting worse and... and..." a tear rolled down her cheek, and, embarrassed, she covered her face.

"Hey, hey..." Roberto said, trying his best to sound comforting. "She wouldn't want you to cry."

"I know, but it's just too... too much." Sophia looked like a lost child, eyes watering, her face painfully upset. Roberto opened his wings - for a few moments, she paused, before accepting the offer, throwing herself into his embrace. "What would I do without you?" She murmured under her breath. "The stress of everything is killing me. You know what? Practice your lines - we're going to sing tonight." Roberto blinked, and looked down.

"Really? What about Zenaida?"

"She's got healers looking after her tonight, since they want to keep an eye on her. I just have to get away from the ravine - too much going on. Jespa, Zenaida... I need a break." Sophia indeed sounded trapped, her voice high pitched from stress and slight panic. Roberto was about to tell her about the thorns, but stopped himself. It could wait - he didn't want to make her feel any worse. _Tomorrow. I'll tell her tomorrow._

"Anything you want. I'll go read the lines again. Let me know when you're ready." He said, turning to leave. He paused, before turning around, with an assuring smile. "Zenaida will be fine, Soph. Don't worry about her." He looked at her worried, upset face. "Where's a smile?" He asked, gently; then the corners of Sophia's beak curled upwards slightly, although her eyes didn't carry the smile. Roberto smiled a little back, before taking off. His heart ached for her - he knew how she felt, for the memory of his mother's death was still like talons in his heart. He didn't want to imagine Sophia having to go through the same thing he did.

He looked over his shoulder, where Mateo was emerging from Zenaida's nest, an unreadable expression on his face. Not wanting to see what Mateo had to say, Roberto forced himself to look ahead, for his tree. If Sophia wanted him to sing, he'd do his best.

 _Later_

Sophia gazed at her reflection, a lilac flower in her head feathers this time. Zenaida's favourite colour. She didn't want to perform tonight, at least not desperately - but she had to. She had promised Victoria, and there was no way she'd get any sleep with the worry plaguing her mind.

Zenaida was in such a sorry state. Her feathers were dull and messy, and she had weakened so much, so fast. Her breath was laboured, interrupted by coughing, and she was delirious and saying so many odd, frightening things. Not intentionally - she kept saying how she was running out of time, and that scared Sophia. She used to think that she wouldn't cry if Zenaida died, after how coldly she had treated her in the past, but now that Zenaida was treating her so much more lovingly, she was going to be devastated.

What had changed? Had her illness made her realize how badly she had treated Sophia? Zenaida had barely offered her any kindness in the past nineteen years, until now - it was bizarre, but Sophia wasn't complaining. It was wonderful to feel loved by her mother for the first time in so long. Under her strict exterior, Sophia had always hoped that Zenaida did still love her after what happened, and now it appeared to be true.

 _After what happened._ That had haunted her for years. Sophia glanced over her shoulder, where Roberto was still reading the lines. To make things worse, she had a feeling Roberto knew something was up. The way he glanced between Jespa and Zenaida... there was definitely something in his eyes. A speculation, suspicion. He knew she was keeping something from him, but there was no way he was going to find out. Would he look at her in the same way again, if he knew?

Happy with her appearance, Sophia turned to Roberto. "Okay, you can read the lines on the way. Vicky'll be expecting us."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Roberto asked, in a gentle voice.

"Yes. I really do." Sophia replied, sighing at his concern. He was so worried for her, at the same time of his suspicion. "We'd better get going, now." Sophia turned, headed for the entrance, but then there was a sharp prick under her foot. "Ow!" She sprang back, looking down. A thorn lay on the floor, with brutally sharp barbs. Wincing at the immediate stinging sensation, she kicked it to the side, before following Roberto, who hadn't noticed. _I wonder how that got there - thorns don't grow in this tree._

As she stepped outside, hiding her slight limp, Sophia paused, glancing around, making sure nobody was watching them leave - before flying after Roberto. Her foot throbbed from the thorn, but that wasn't what was bothering her. Her skin prickled unexpectedly - she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder. A flash of familiar light blue feathers moved slightly behind some leaves. She paused again, but then shook it off. _Must be Isabella. She's got that colour plumage._

"Coming, Soph?" Roberto said, glancing back.

"Yeah, sure..." She said, in a distracted voice. She was sure Isabella had a more 'soft' appearance. Feathers on end, she flew after Roberto, much faster this time.


	13. Unexpected

"Isn't this exciting?" Roberto said, cheerfully, peeking through the leaves that covered the back stage entrance. Around them, other acts were in discussion, with a busy Victoria running about. Tonight was set to be busy, for there were new acts performing tonight. Behind him, Sophia was sat down, looking around with an uneasy expression. Finally, Roberto brought himself to say it. "Sophia, what's wrong? You have had that same look on your face since we left the ravine." Roberto was hiding his worry about the thorns in their nests. Sophia had come here to escape her stress - he couldn't just blurt out and accuse Jespa of sticking sharp things under the moss. He wanted to make her feel happier, after Zenaida, but his cheer didn't seem to help.

"I don't know. I just... no, it's just me being paranoid." Sophia was shaking her head. "I thought I saw someone following us on the way here, that's all."

"Following us? Why would anyone follow us?" He asked, not fully taking in her words, for his mind was trained on outside. Sipping on coconut water, he tried to find the faces of Felipe and Azalea, but failed to spot them in the sea of birds. They were probably busy; the storms had caused an awful lot of damage, a fact Sophia knew all too well. Trees had come down all over the place, but at least that was a result of weather and not logging.

"It's probably just me." Sophia said, sounding calmer now. "Jespa's just been acting up lately." Roberto choked on his coconut water; he spluttered a few times, causing her to look up. "Are you okay?"

"Fine!" He insisted, clearing his throat. _Acting up? That's an understatement!_ For couple of moments, she sat there, looking suspicious - before she rolled her eyes.

"What's he done now?" Sophia asked, eyes narrowed. Roberto whirled round in surprise.

"What?" He asked, weakly.

"That's right. Everytime I've said his name, you've looked shifty."

"No I haven't -"

"Don't try to deny it, Roberto." Sophia interrupted, sharply - this surprised him. She seemed so much more sure, more fierce and confident, outside that ravine. He had thought about that when he'd seen her sing; now he was convinced it was Jespa who made her this way. If he wasn't there, maybe Sophia would be bolder. She crosssed her wings. "Spit it out."

"Well..." he hesitated. Roberto had planned on telling her tomorrow morning, but now she knew something was on his mind. _She's gonna find out anyway. Get it over with._ "Fine." So Roberto told Sophia every last detail: he had arrived home to hear someone making a hasty getaway, and had gone straight to his nest, only to be stabbed in the back by dozens of thorns. They had been in her nest, as well - and there had been a thorn bush at the foot of Jespa's tree. By the time he had finished, Sophia wore a flabbergasted expression.

"No... he wouldn't." She said, although she didn't sound thoroughly convinced. "Er, no, no - it was Tiago, surely. He loves playing tricks."

"Trick? Tiago's young, but he's old enough to know how irresponsible and cruel it is to stick thorns in a nest!" Roberto protested. Sophia swiftly leapt to her talons.

"Jespa's not right, but he's not that messed up!" Sophia insisted, her voice high-pitched.

"How are you defending him? Sophia, he _bruised_ your wing, and according to Zenaida, it's happened before -"

"Hey, what's going on?" Interrupted a voice. Victoria stood a few feet away; the Catalina macaw's eyes were wide with surprise. "What's the arguing about? I can't have you two falling out before your performance begins!"

"It's nothing." Sophia said, quickly. "We're fine, aren't we, Roberto?" The areas above Victoria's eyes raised, before she was distracted by a tussle taking place between the five Red-Bellied macaws.

"Girls, girls!" Vicky cried, rushing over as one of the sisters pulled angrily at another's feathers. "Valerie, I don't care if Camilla took your head flower -" as she separated the squabbling birds, Sophia turned her attention back to Roberto.

"Look, it can't have been. Just forget it." Roberto tried to protest, but the look on her face silenced him.

"I'm sorry." He said, instead. "It was wrong of me to accuse him." At this, Sophia's eyes softened slightly.

"Thank you." She said, before muttering something under her breath.

"What was that?" Roberto asked, catching the last word. He couldn't help but grin as he felt laughter bubbling up. "Did you just saw I'm irresistible?"

"No!" Sophia squeaked, blushing the colour of a bromeliad. She was trying not to laugh. "I meant your _apologies_ were irresistible." At this, they quickly forgot their argument, and started giggling like a pair of teenagers. But then, the quarreling Red-Bellied Sisters got out of hand. They started arguing so loudly, Roberto spotted some of the crowd glancing toward the backstage. For few seconds, Victoria attempted to speak - but then the white skin of her face turned cerise.

"That's it!" Victoria snapped. " _That's it_ \- you are out!" At this, a silence fell on the acts. The five sisters stared at Victoria, in utter shock.

"What? What do you mean, we're out?" Asked Luciana, incredulously.

"You are not singing on my stage again until I'm happy you girls won't tear each other's feathers out over the slightest problem." Victoria retorted. "Now, if you don't mind - the curtains are that way." For a moment, it looked as though they were about to argue, but then they stuck their beaks up, and marched through the leaves to try and leave with a sense of dignity - but the moment the leaves fell back into place, their squabbling started all over again.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Thank goodness. They were getting on my nerves. Between me and you guys, I hope they don't resolve their bickering. Everyday, it's she took that and she did that." The Catalina then dashed through the curtains, to speak to her audience. "I'm afraid the Red-Bellied Sisters aren't singing tonight -" As she made up an excuse, Sophia swiftly began smoothing her plumage.

"We're next, Robbie." She said, bouncing and swinging her wings, as though she were about to work out. "Got your lines? A quick test - what's your first line?"

 _"In the blink of an eye."_ Roberto said, instantly.

"-who knows Sophia?" Victoria asked, and this was answered with an immediate cheers. "Excellent! She's here tonight, singing our new favourite song, 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You.' But before you all start cheering, she's not by herself!" Immediately, the voices died down as they prepared to hear this important information. "Joined by her special friend, Roberto, they're singing as a pair - and Sophia says, and I quote, he's got a voice like a diamond!"

"I wouldn't say it's like a diamond." Roberto whispered, cheeks going warm. He was aware he had a talent, but hearing Sophia say it was 'like a diamond' made his heart bounce.

"Don't be embarrassed." Sophia murmured back - then the crowd cheered, and the music introduction started. The leaves started to move slightly, and it was the cue. Roberto moved to the side; he was going on stage at his first line. But then Sophia quickly grabbed him lightly by the wing, and placed a swift kiss on his cheek. "Good luck!" She whispered, before stepping through the curtain. Roberto swayed slightly, wing on his cheek, stunned.

Roberto stood there in a dream-like state for a few moments, before her gorgeous voice brought him back to full consciousness. Her voice was like silver and gold - it was as beautiful and luring as a siren's. No wonder so many birds came here to hear her song. A thought dawned upon him.

He had always found her to be a special macaw, but now it was so much more. He saw her in everything - the glossy flowers and the shiny fruits reminded him of the shimmer and sparkle of her eyes. Everyone was talking about them - whenever they were together, any witnesses started whispering, glancing at Roberto and Sophia as they did. He had never felt about anyone in that way before. All his love had been for friends, or when he was young, for his family. Never had romance crossed his mind, until now.

Maximillo, the Hyacinth in charge of letting members and friendly macaws in, was opening the door a little, and frowning, talking to someone outside. Roberto thought nothing of it, although when heads turned, he felt a twinge of curiosity. However, his ears caught Sophia's last solo part. It was time to join her onstage.

"In the blink of an eye... a whisper of smoke..." he tried to hide his embarrassment as he stepped through the leaves - did he look stupid? But to his relief, Sophia was grinning and the crowd's cheers grew louder as they heard what he sounded like. Confidence flowed back into his voice. "We could lose everything, the truth is you never know -" his cheeks turned warm as he sang the next lyrics; Sophia smiled at the next sentence. "So I'll kiss you longer, baby -" occasionally, Sophia would repeat the last word of the sentence in her voice, or one of her quieter vocalizations that matched the volume of the song.

The audience was, to his surprise, seemingly spellbound. Some had stopped dancing, to pause and concentrate on the song - but everyone, dancing or not, could not keep their eyes off Roberto and Sophia. Even the recently fired Red-Bellied Sisters were staring with gaping beaks, despite their foul moods. Victoria was visible in the corner of Roberto's eye, looking absolutely delighted, dancing with a Blue-and-Gold macaw. Roberto and Sophia turned to each other, unable to stop smiling as they sung the chorus in perfect harmony.

"So I'm going to love you, like I'm gonna lose you -" Sophia danced across the stage, singing with him while she did. Roberto too moved toward her, until they were doing some kind of spin together; barely touching, just moving in a close circle around each other. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and they both knew it. Sophia's wing raised to touch the side of his face, and he did the same.

The music died down; the final verses. Their twirl slowed to a stop, and Sophia's wing finally dropped - but Roberto took both of them, and didn't let go. Her midnight blue gaze rested upon his pale blue one, as they both sang the last words. "I'm going to love you. Like I'm gonna..." their voices became low. "...lose you." Roberto almost breathed the final part, but somehow, the audience didn't notice.

They roared and threw their wings up into the air; the cheering almost hurting his ears, but he did not care. The joy in his heart, standing here with Sophia, was overwhelming. Finally, they broke eye contact, to turn to the crowd and give a bow - but once they had done that, Sophia pulled him into an embrace. "You are amazing. Thank you." She whispered into his ear.

Roberto was just about to reply, but then a commotion at the entrance pulled his attention away. Maximillo's protests fell on deaf ears. "-Buddy, you can't just barge in here, you need -"

"Shut up, you Hyacinth filth!" Roared the voice back - the bubble of joy burst. Sophia's wings suddenly went tense, and she whipped her head around. Roberto could feel her heart racing, as she desperately searched for the intruder. A thunderous silence filled the club, as a ragged blue figure shoved through the crowd. Finally, the crowd parted, and Roberto's heart dropped. Sophia then began trembling, and sank against him, her face pale and sick with horror.

Jespa stood on the dance floor, the look on his face more poisonous than any snake's venom.


	14. Sophia's worst nightmare

"Well?" Jespa spat. "I'm waiting, little sister." The crowd was eerily quiet - while they had no idea what was wrong with the stranger, let alone who he was, none of them dared speak. They huddled as far away from Jespa as they could, and even Maximillo and Victoria did nothing. Jespa looked terrifying, breathing heavily, eyes wild.

 _"Sister?"_ The word was murmured slightly at the back, in disbelief. Of course that was something they found hard to believe. The elegance of Sophia was non-existent on the ragged sibling.

"Jespa." Sophia said, quietly. "What a surprise." Jespa looked around, in pure disgust - everyone winced as his gaze raked over them.

"Is this your little getaway, then? Singing in front of these buffoons?" No one spoke at the insult. Sophia's heart raced within her chest - had she died and gone to hell? Maybe hell would be better than what was happening right now. She couldn't bring herself to speak or act. She was still frozen in fear, trapped on stage in front of all these birds. A million thoughts raced through her mind. What they would think of her. What the tribe and Roberto would think of her. Roberto's wings around her seemed to tighten, protectively.

"Sophia..." Roberto whispered, but Jespa hissed.

"Keep quiet, you!" He snapped. "And get away from her." Sophia finally realized that she was still in Roberto's wings - Jespa clearly didn't like it. Wriggling out of his grasp, Sophia flew onto the floor, trying to walk in a calm manner as she approached her brother. Her skin crawled as she got closer. She stopped, centimetres from his face, trying to keep her terror hidden.

"Don't do this here." She pleaded, fear making her stomach flip. She tried to keep her gaze steady, but knew it was flickering uneasily from Jespa to Roberto, and to the onlookers. On stage, Roberto looked on with wide eyes. Sophia was dangerously close to Jespa, who was looking alarmingly angrier by the minute.

"You're coming with me." Jespa snarled, leaning forward, so Sophia was forced to cower beneath his scorching gaze. She took a step back, but Jespa still looked intimidating none the less. Sophia looked over her shoulder, at Roberto - he stared back. _Don't go with him! Don't!_ She could hear him crying out in silence, from his pleading eyes. Sophia looked back at Jespa, fidgeting on the spot - trapped between his angry glare and Roberto's desperate gaze. A small voice murmured in her head.

 _He has no control over you._ That had never happened before. In the ravine she was trapped, but here, surrounded by the birds who thought the world of her, she felt more in control of her life. She couldn't show them that she was weak - she had to prove to Jespa that she wasn't afraid of him. "No." She said, after a long, tense pause. The entire audience held their breath, unsure as to whether her reply was a good or bad thing, based on the look on Jespa's face.

"What?" He demanded, almost shouting. Sophia stopped cowering. She stood up straight, and met Jespa's gaze with steady eyes, preparing to reply - what did she dare say? Maybe this was a mistake, but it was too late to turn back now.

"Are you deaf as well as stupid? I said no!" Sophia exclaimed, and this comment rose several fearful moments. Jespa, however, found something to say.

"Where's this new bold streak come from?" Jespa asked, mockingly. His eyes travelled to the stage. "What? From him? You needed a boyfriend to rescue you?" He sneered.

"Don't be stupid!" Roberto's voice rang out from behind her. "She's strong and independent. She didn't need me, she got there all on her own - she just had to get away from _you."_ Sophia's heart throbbed heavily in her chest, with emotion. Roberto leapt off stage, to her side. "Now, get out, Jespa. You're not welcome here."

"Yeah! Get out!" Finally, a crowd member plucked up the courage, and this was followed by many more. Jespa looked around wildly, panicking when he realised he no longer had the situation in his control. He was clearly searching for something to say.

"Singing is vanity!" He blurted out. He narrowed his eyes. "Zenaida would be ashamed."

"It's not vanity, Jespa - you're looking for an excuse to make me stop singing. Guess what? I won't, because you have no power over me. And leave Zenaida out of this." Sophia searched for Roberto's wing - she was relieved to interlock her wingtips with his.

"You don't want to talk about our dear mother. She's dying, while you have the time of your life." Jespa grinned when Sophia flinched at this statement. "Fine - let's not talk about our mother. Let's talk about our father."

"No!" Sophia cried out, the bravery melting to pure horror. "I'm begging you, Jespa - he wouldn't want this."

"There it is. The real, snivelling and pathetic brat you really are." Jespa sneered, nastily. "His soul hasn't slept since he died. You know why? He speaks to me! He tells me how unhappy he is, unable to rest!" Jespa's voice rose, to a shout - what he said chilled everyone present to the bone. "It's all your fault! His blood is cold, his bones marrowless - because of you!" With a wild squawk, he leapt forward, barbed talons clawing for her neck - she screeched, throwing up her wings to block the attack, but then Roberto let go of her wing. Roberto bowled Jespa over, and the two males sped across the floor in a whirlwind of blue feathers. Shrieks filled the club - feathers flew, and if it went any further, blood would soon follow.

"Stop it!" Sophia shrieked, diving toward the wrestling males. She looked desperately toward Maximillo - finally, the powerful Hyacinth sprung into action. He seized Jespa by the back of the neck, tearing him away from Roberto, who lay on the floor, motionless. "Roberto!" She gasped, in panic, rushing toward him - but then he staggered to his feet. Relieved to see that he was alright, Sophia spun round, to see Maximillo dragging Jespa to the door. He kicked the door open, before throwing Jespa outside, into a mud puddle. Roberto ran after Jespa, hastily, while Victoria rushed to Sophia, as her mate tried to gather the audience attention.

"Sorry about that, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about -" the Blue-and-Gold, thankfully, was able to distract the crowd from Sophia, although some still looked on.

"What the heck was that about?" Victoria whispered, eyes round. "You'd better sort it out, he's not bursting in here again!"

"I'm sorry, he's my brother. He's got problems..." Sophia then hastily made for the door, aware that their stares were burning into her skin.

"Are you alright?" Maximillo asked, as he opened the door, somewhat reluctantly.

"Fine!" She insisted, darting past him. Relieved when the door creaked close, she panicked upon realization that Jespa and Roberto were no where in sight. "Roberto! Jespa!" She shouted; then she heard grunting, through the bushes.

"I'll kill you!" Snarled Jespa. Sophia rushed to the sound, shoving through the bushes - the sound of music from the club had begun, meaning they would thankfully be unheard. Reaching the scene, she was briefly frozen in shock. Jespa and Roberto were floundering across the forest floor, with Jespa spitting all kinds of insults and threats.

"You have no right to stop her living a decent life!" Roberto hissed, furiously, between ducking Jespa's swipes. Horrified by the sight of them fighting, Sophia ran into the fray.

"Stop it -" she protested, seizing Jespa by the wing and pulling him back. Jespa struggled, desperate to sink his claws back into Roberto - but then he spun round, in horror. He frantically shoved her talons away.

"Get your murderous talons off! You're getting blood all over me!" He shrieked suddenly, leaping back as though she were a thousand degrees. Sophia's heart almost stopped. Roberto looked up, staring in utter bewilderment.

"What does he mean?" He asked, looking at Sophia, confused - to her horror, suspicion rose into his eyes. "Is he hallucinating?" Something strange was happening to Jespa. He was scrubbing frantically at the wing Sophia had grabbed, eyes wild with a mixture of enmity and terror, rubbing at something they could not see - in his twisted mind, he saw blood on his feathers. Sophia stretched out a wing, to block Roberto back, sure her heart was about to burst out of her chest. She was certain she was about to faint.

"Jespa." She whispered. Jespa looked up with utter insanity.

"You don't know, Roberto! If you knew, you'd never talk to her again!" He screeched. Sophia desperately looked at Roberto, but he shouted back at Jespa. He wanted the answer.

"Knew what?" Roberto demanded. Jespa raised a shaking wing, pointing it at Sophia. She shook in absolute terror, pleading filling her eyes, but Jespa ignored it. He snarled in a mocking and acidic voice, with more hatred and malice Sophia thought possible.

"My father's murderer stands right there."


	15. Seeking the truth

"You're even more twisted than I thought." Roberto spluttered, laughing slightly, but it wasn't at all genuine. "He's lying, isn't he, Sophia?" He turned, expecting her to look annoyed at Jespa's audacious accusation - but the look was very different. Her wings were slammed over her beak, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks, in absolute horror. At first, Roberto was fully confident that Jespa had been lying - but as he looked at Sophia's face, doubt began to loom. "It... it's not true, Sophia. Tell me it's not true."

Behind him, Jespa was now laughing - he was laughing in absolute mania, laughing as though the past seconds were hysterical. "That's another boyfriend gone!" He chanted, in triumph. "Happiness gone - Andre is applauding!" Jespa then spread his wings, and flew off, still laughing hysterically, leaving Roberto staring at Sophia. The skin around her beak and eyes had gone alarmingly pale, and she was shaking. Then, to his surprise, her eyes rolled up in their sockets. She swayed for a moment, before she crashed forwards, straight into his outstretched wings.

"Sophia!" He turned her face toward him, to see that her eyes were closed. _She's fainted._ Despite the million terrified thoughts in his brain, he couldn't leave her on the dangerous forest floor. Picking her up, as gently as though she were made of glass, he carried her up into the nearest tree, into a hollow. Once he had put her down, he backed away, bewildered.

 _My father's murderer._ Jespa's cold words chilled Roberto to the bone. A small bubble of hope hovered in his mind; had Sophia fainted because of the shock of Jespa saying something so cruel? Maybe Jespa had only said it to insult her. But then, his frantic heartbeat told him that wasn't what he truly thought. Then, he heard her muttering, and beginning to stir. He couldn't help but keep his distance.

Sophia lifted her head, but didn't appear to notice him. She stumbled to her feet, only to slump into a sitting position, burying her face into her wings. Through her feathers, he could hear the muffled sound of her sobs. "Sophia." He said, finally - she looked up with a start.

"Roberto!" She gasped, jumping slightly. "I didn't know you were there."

"Sophia." He said, simply.

"I have to get back to Zenaida -" Sophia protested, hastily turning to go. "Jespa was just a little confused, he's always blurting out stuff -"

 _"Sophia!"_ Roberto interrupted, loudly, making Sophia freeze. She started to shake violently, as if she were having a fit. "Both you and I know Jespa wasn't confused." He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, but found it rising as he started to feel panic; he didn't want to imagine Sophia killing someone. "I've had enough of all these lies! You're too big a part in my life to keep something like this from me!"

"You don't understand!" Sophia snapped, half out of anger and half out of fear. "You _can't_ know." She pushed past him, but he stopped her, putting his wing onto her shoulder.

"Do you trust me?

"What?" She spun round.

"If you trust me, tell me what Jespa meant!" Roberto tried not to shout. Sophia was resisting. Her desperate eyes were fixated on the exit, but her tense shoulders were going slack. She stopped struggling, but still, she trembled like a leaf. "Sophia, please. Talk to me." He pleaded, his wings moving to the sides of her face. She gritted her beak, tears seeping through her closed eyelids. His heart could break just by seeing her this upset. Roberto dropped his wings. "I'm going home. You have to tell me what he meant - or... or..." he couldn't bring himself to say 'I'll never speak to you again.' Turning away, he rushed outside, flying away before she could protest.

Meanwhile, Sophia stood there, utterly stunned. Then she dug her wing tips, hard, into her head feathers, and fell to her knees. She rocked on the spot, trying to stop herself from crying - but then she cursed herself when a sob escaped her throat. The tears spilled down her cheeks, and then she couldn't breathe. Choking and weeping tears, Sophia collapsed and curled up against the wall, trying to keep the panic attack at bay. She had had a panic attack as a chick, right after Andre had died, and as those memories returned, she felt a terrible wave of disgust.

 _It's my fault! If I hadn't made such a stupid mistake!_ Sophia wanted to scream and curse with every bad word under the sun. It was ruined. Everything was ruined, thanks to Jespa's vile beak. Sophia had truly thought that Roberto was the one. The others had abandoned her, just when she accepted that she was in love - and now her chance of a future with Roberto was impossible. There was no way he would believe the true story - it sounded far-fetched, and there was no doubt Jespa try to twist it, but it was real. She knew the truth - but how could Roberto ever believe her? Nobody surely would.

But then... what if he _did_ believe her? They had been friends since childhood; he knew when she was telling the truth. But she was petrified of the other possibility. In her mind, she imagined the betrayal and disgust in his eyes. Saw him going to Eduardo, telling him what she had apparently done - killing another tribe member resulted in exile. She couldn't stand that thought, when it hadn't even been her fault. Exiled for an accident.

Words filled her mind, words Zenaida had once said. _You can't run away from the truth - the truth may be frightening, but in the end, it's not the end of the world._ Zenaida couldn't talk. She had never told Jespa her part in the whole ordeal. If she told Jespa the whole truth... _She's too sick to bring up nineteen-year old memories._ Besides, Jespa's had it in his mind for too long to be convinced it was a mistake the whole time.

She clenched her beak. This was the last straw - she was never uttering a word to him, never again. But then a shadow blocked out the moonlight, and she heard his vile, boastful voice. "There." Then his wings dug into her own, dragged her to her feet. Disgust tore through her as she saw his smug face.

"I despise you." She snarled, wrenching her wing from his grasp. "You're such a fool! I didn't kill him, not on purpose!"

"I saw what happened - don't deny the truth."

"It wasn't the truth!" Sophia screeched, shoving him in the chest. "Your distorted mind refused to accept Zenaida's explanation - you thought she was protecting me! Well, she wasn't! She was telling you the truth!"

"Don't manipulate me!" Jespa roared.

"I'm not!" Sophia snapped. "I've spent my entire life trying to find someone who cares about me, but you've wormed your way between me and all the males I've ever loved and torn them away from me. And now you've done it again - but now you may have jeopardized my entire life! Zenaida made you promise never to tell!"

"Pity." Jespa then raised his wing, to strike her - but as it came down, Sophia grabbed hold of it, freezing it in it's path. The smug expression faded.

"You're wrong, Jespa. All wrong." Sophia said, hatred in her voice. "Stay away - you have no power over me!" She then shoved him away, and pushed past him, flying as if her life depended on it. She was going to tell Roberto the truth, before Jespa told him his version.

"You can't escape!" Jespa shrieked. "I'll be watching you, sister! Watch your back, because someday soon, I'll kill you!" He wasn't lying there, she could tell. Sophia didn't dare reply - as she got further away from him, the fear of Jespa's threat was replaced by the fear of confronting Roberto. _I don't know what I can do, but still I know I've got to try._

All too soon, Sophia was flying into the ravine. The reality of what she was about to do hit her hard in the chest as she made a beeline for his tree. _Please believe me. I love you too much to lose you._ "Roberto." She said, quietly, as she entered the tree. Roberto sat there, back to her, on one of the roots that crept along the wall. Inhaling deeply, Sophia walked across the floor, sitting beside him - to her relief, he didn't flinch.

"Soph... are you -"

"Ssh." She sighed. "I'm going to tell you the entire story. I promise you when I tell you I'm not going to lie - you can ask Zenaida if you want. I'm going to tell you what really happened." Roberto looked up at her, eyes plagued by worry. Sophia's heart was weighed by stones as she prepared to talk.

"I'm listening." He murmured.

"Alright." Sophia closed her eyes. "I'll tell you."


	16. Nineteen year-old memories

_Sophia sat, frightened, in her nest. Her older brother, Jespa, was staring into space, but occasionally, he would stop to talk to the air. Jespa was odd; their mother insisted to their curious - and concerned - neighbours that he was talking to an 'imaginary friend', but there was never happiness in his expression when he talked. If anything, he looked frightened, confused, and sometimes angry._

 _Sophia's friends, Isabella and Manuela, didn't talk about Jespa to her face, but she had overheard them talking about him. Her other friend, Jewel, tried to get some information out of her, but Sophia knew her brother wouldn't appreciate her talking about him behind his back. That was the case with everyone - Jespa was the talk of the tribe. They whispered about him hearing voices and seeing things that weren't really there, even though Zenaida furiously insisted that he was perfectly normal. She looked to Andre for backup, but even he was starting to have doubts about Jespa's mental health._

 _Sophia wasn't sure how long Zenaida and Andre had been arguing outside. Her parents did not have a secure relationship - it seemed as though Andre was more devoted to Zenaida than she was to him. Sophia always felt dismayed, seeing her mother flutter her eyelashes and shake her tail feathers at single males - she had a mate, and she was old enough to see that flirting when you were already coupled was wrong. Maybe that was what they were arguing about? Had her blissfully unaware father learned of her mother's inappropriate behaviour?_

 _The angry voices of her parents were getting louder and louder. Sophia winced as Zenaida's harsh words reached their ears. She whispered to her brother. "Jespa?" No reply. Sophia looked at him in annoyance. "Jespa!" She prodded him, and Jespa whipped his head round, dislike glistening in his gaze. She wasn't sure why Jespa had never liked her - her two friends, Trix and Catia, were twins, and the best of friends. All her friends who had siblings got along, but for some reason she and Jespa didn't._

 _"What?" He asked, gruffly._

 _"Why are mom and dad arguing?" She asked. Jespa rolled his eyes._

 _"You haven't been around long enough - they always fight."_

 _"But not like this!" She insisted, frustrated that he wasn't taking this seriously. Isabella's parents had split up, for some reason - she didn't want that to happen to Zenaida and Andre. It was a romantic love story, taking place in a period of time known as the 'Great Sorrow', in which the tribes had been at war and barely any happiness was felt. It would be such a shame for it to end. And besides, Isabella had to be swapped between her split parents, who made awkward conversation - she didn't want that to happen to her family._

 _"Oh, don't over exaggerate -" Jespa began, but then Andre's voice filled the hollow. The two chicks whipped their heads up. Andre was usually calm - there was a mildness about his face, which was friendly, and he went around in a relaxed manner. He looked very approachable and Sophia thought he was the best father ever - he was always spoiling her and Jespa with sweet fruits and always filled their nests with the softest feathers. He told them the best stories and always took them out of the ravine to explore. That was when she and Jespa had the most bonding time - sometimes she even got to play with him, when they were outside with Andre. Sometimes Jespa's abnormality was forgotten. She refocused on Andre, shocked by the angry and devastated look on his face._

 _"I'm taking the kids with me!" Andre hissed, over his shoulder. "They're better off with me - at least I'm not a liar." Sophia and Jespa stared at the scene, trying to figure out what was going on._

 _"They're not going anywhere! I'm their mother!" Zenaida stormed in after him, and then the atmosphere went from unpleasant to terrifying, as the two macaws started screaming at each other. Sophia and Jespa cowered in their nests; then Andre blurted something out._

 _"What, the mother who cheats on their father?" Andre fumed. Sophia and Jespa stared at Andre, then each other - then at Zenaida. She looked mortified._

 _"Mom?" Jespa asked, in shock. Zenaida swayed slightly._

 _"No, darling... your father's just a bit confused." Zenaida coughed, before looking pleadingly at her mate. "Andre, I'm sorry! It was all a mistake, and he's ended it! I mean, I ended it..."_

 _"Zenaida, does the past twenty-four years mean nothing to you?" Asked Andre, appalled. "I almost died, saving you during that battle! And now you've thrown it all away for a fling with some silly younger male? How could you do this to me?"_

 _"Are you kidding me? You're boring!" Zenaida squawked. "And you're not taking my kids - they're staying with me!" Andre's dark blue eyes narrowed._

 _"Let's go, Sophia, Jespa." He headed toward the nest, ignoring Zenaida. She was not having it. To Sophia's terror, Zenaida let out a shriek, and leapt at Andre._

 _"Mom!" She cried. Andre was as shocked as Sophia and Jespa - it took a few moments for him to fight back. He first retaliated with a swipe, but soon it was a full-blown fight. The two parents had forgotten their witnessing children as they fought in their rage. They spun around the hollow, a whirlwind of feathers and screeches. Andre, while powerful, was so much slower than Zenaida - he kept crying out in pain, for she was clawing at him without hesitation. Jespa leapt out of the nest, trying to stop the inferno, only to be knocked away by a tail. There was then a sickening crack as Zenaida shoved Andre into the wall - his wing was crushed between his body and the tree trunk._

 _"Zenaida!" He gasped in pain, but she didn't listen. Ignoring his awkward-looking wing, she seized him, dragging him outside. Sophia ran after them, leaving Jespa to pick himself up off the floor. She rushed after her parents, horrified by it all: their fighting, her mother betraying her father, Andre's injured wing. Zenaida swung Andre around, glaring at him. Sophia crept around the two, to avoid getting between them, and cowered at the branch edge behind Andre._

 _"It's over. Get away from us." Zenaida snarled, but Andre didn't listen._

 _"They're my children as well as yours!" He said, clutching his wing, which Zenaida hadn't noticed still. Her golden eyes burned with fury, before, to Sophia's shock, she shoved Andre hard in the chest, sending him staggering back - straight toward Sophia and the branch edge. She gasped, and clung onto the branch as Andre's talons snagged under her - then, to her alarm, Andre lost his footing. At this moment, Jespa emerged from the hollow, in time to see Andre stumble over Sophia._

 _It was then that Zenaida saw Sophia, saw Andre's twisted wing. She screeched in fear. She lunged to grab Andre's wings - but she missed by inches. Andre was then plummeting through the air, screeching in terror as he did, unable to fly with his useless wing._

 _"Daddy!" Sophia cried, watching him fall. Andre's eyes fixated on his terrified daughter, and the horrified Zenaida - but then Sophia saw him no longer, for the ferns swallowed him. His shrieks abruptly cut off. It took a few moments for Sophia to realize why his shrieks had stopped - then she shaken into reality._

 _Zenaida was screaming like a bird possessed. "What did you do, what did you do?" She screeched, seizing Sophia hard by the shoulders. Sophia blinked at her hysterical mother, and then she remembered how Zenaida had shoved Andre, straight toward her - Andre had tripped over her and gone tumbling back. Then the realization dawned upon her._

 _She had tripped Andre. Her father had tripped over her, and in doing so fallen with his injured wing. Zenaida let go of her, and disappeared into the ferns below - shrieking Andre's name. "Andre! Andre!" Sophia lurched forward, looking over the branch edge - Jespa ran to the edge too, staring over. Zenaida was wailing and screaming, now. "Andre, oh, my Andre!" Her wails of grief were loud enough to rouse the tribe - then heads were poking out of the trees. Sleepy minds clarified as they heard the grief and mourning in Zenaida's voice. Suddenly,_ _agony ripped through her wing. Sophia cried out, and whirled around - face to face with her brother._

 _"What on earth are you doing?" She gasped, shocked by the iron grasp he had upon hers. "Let go!"_

 _"You monster!" He declared. His eyes were wild - grief-stricken, shocked, and horrified. They were filled with madness - and suddenly Sophia was terrified of him. "You've killed dad!"_

Roberto stared at Sophia. She was sobbing, her eyes like a cave from which a waterfall fell - so many tears. She slid off the root, to the floor, where she sat, weeping into her feathers. "I know it sounds unlikely. But it's the truth - maybe dad's death was my fault. If I hadn't tripped him, Jespa wouldn't blame me... he thinks I tripped Andre _deliberately."_ Roberto could barely believe it. Sophia had accidentally caused Andre to stumble and fall, and Jespa thought it was deliberate? _This is why Jespa hates her so much? An accident?_ "If only I hadn't gotten in the way, things could've been so different."

"I had no idea." He whispered. Sophia continued to weep on the floor, and his heart twisted in pain, at seeing the grief she felt. She felt so guilty, for an accident that hadn't even been her fault. He slid down onto the floor beside her, wrapped a wing over her shoulders. "It was an accident, Sophia. Don't feel so guilty."

"But I was in the way!" She wailed. "If I hadn't -"

"It's not your fault!" He protested. "You said Zenaida injured his wing beyond use, and then she pushed him - you can't blame yourself." Sophia looked up with sorrowful eyes, unconvinced, but he saw the other question within their midnight blue depths. "Of course I believe you." He murmured. Her tears seemed to subdue, and her eyes fluttered closed as she rested her head against his side. "It's going to be okay. I promise."


	17. From bad to much worse

The next morning, Roberto was uncomfortably aware of Jespa's stare. From where he perched in the clay licks, Roberto could see the scrawny and bedraggled Jespa in the trees below. Obviously he was shocked - usually Sophia's male more-than-friends were scared off by now, and Roberto should've run at hearing the family secret. He wasn't scared, though - well, not terrified, at least. Roberto swallowed his clay piece hard, before pretending not to notice, turning back to the clay face.

"He's staring, isn't he?" Sophia muttered, in utter discomfort.

"Sadly yes." Roberto replied. Sophia had been awfully quiet since last night. He couldn't blame her - she had revealed such a big secret to him, and she was still worried about Jespa and facing the club and Victoria again. Unfortunately, this wasn't the only thing - news of Zenaida was going around the ravine. The mother of the scoremarker, the famous no-nonsense macaw with the biggest attitude in the ravine, was getting worse.

Sophia wanted to visit Zenaida, but the ever-closer Festival of Stars made visiting her daunting. Roberto remembered how Sophia had spoken - yesterday morning her delirious mother had said, regarding the celebration, "What a wonderful night to die." There were rumours that Zenaida's lungs were suffering after such a long bout of coughing, combined with her weak immune system - in his time being in the tribe, Roberto was sure she had caught every illness under the sun.

"Maybe you should visit Zenaida." Roberto suggested. Sophia stiffened, a piece of clay pausing inches from her beak.

"I don't know if Jespa'll let me anywhere near her." She admitted, putting the clay down.

"Then I'll convince him." Roberto said, glancing over his shoulder, down to the trees below - but to his surprise, Jespa was gone. "If I can find him, that is."

"Leave it, honestly. I doubt he'll appreciate it." Sophia was right. Jespa did hate him to the core. She went to pick the clay back up, but didn't lift it. "You know what? I'm going to see her. If he tries to stop me, I'll give him a piece of my mind. After last night I'm not in the mood for him to cause me anymore problems."

"Are you -"

"I don't need a bodyguard." Sophia teased. She leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek. "Although, I will let you know if I do." She traced his wingtips with her own for a moment, before turning and flying down the clay licks. She felt guilty for feeling happy, at this time - but talking to Roberto? She couldn't help but smile. Yet as she distanced herself from the claylicks and neared her birthplace, the smile began to fade, for she was reminded of Zenaida.

Sophia slowed, seeing a group of teenagers fussing over some large leaves. "This is stupid! Why did they make us get some leaves when we can't even _make_ a leaf lamp?" Conplained one. With a jolt, Sophia was reminded of the upcoming festival - sending your love up to the stars, to remember your loved ones. This time of year was one of the most painful, as she remembered him. She still felt Andre's talons stumbling over her.

Sophia found herself flying toward a certain tree. This was where Andre had been buried, under the roots - the tree was too small and lacked a hollow, so burying him there had been ideal. His funeral had been the worst day of her life. Jespa had never stopped glaring at her throughout the whole ceremony, while the weeping Zenaida had had an iron grip on both her and him, meaning she could never escape the funeral or Jespa's anger. Or her guilt.

Soon, she was standing in front of the grave. There was a large, flat stone sitting on it, carved with the family's names, but Sophia felt that it looked rather 'sad'. Feeling an urge to brighten it, Sophia picked up the dead, withered flowers - likely laid by her mother before her illness intensified - and tossed them away. Spotting a lovely patch of violet and lavender flowers, Sophia picked a bunch, before returning to the grave. Arranging them with care, she rested them down onto the mossy earth. She sat down, and gave the soil a gentle pat.

"There you go, dad." She said, fondly. Yet her words were tinged with guilt. "I know it wasn't entirely my fault... but I still can't help but feel..." Her eyes travelled to the stone - and then her heart stopped. _Beloved Andre, laid to rest by Zenaida and their children, Jespa and Sophia._ But she could barely read her own name, or the 'ren' part of 'children'. Gouges in the stone scratched out the letters, so it instead read, _Beloved Andre, laid to rest by Zenaida and their child, Jespa._ Sophia knew who did it. It could be no-one else - then she sprang to her feet.

"I'll kill you, Jespa." She hissed. Blood hot and charged with rage, Sophia whirled around and flew, faster than ever before. "Jespa!" She shouted, furiously. Her shouts attracted various looks, but she didn't care. She was going to kill him. "How _dare_ you -" but en route to the last place she saw him, a piercing cry of terror reached her ears.

"Mom! Dad!" The wails were of a male chick - unmistakably, Tiago's, despite the fact that she had only known him for less than a few weeks. Sophia instinctively turned to the sound, flying straight for it - to her surprise, she was headed for Jespa's tree. Yet as she neared it, she felt a flash of dread. As she landed on the main branch, she had to duck a flying stick. A blue blur came flying, straight at her. "Sophia!" Tiago cried, tearfully, diving into her wings. She was shocked - the usually plucky chick seemed terrified. "I-I was only trying to get the spider! It c-crawled in there, and he wasn't there so I thought I'd just go in and g-get it..." Tiago stammered. "But then he came in and -"

"Do you want your flaming spider?" Snarled the voice, and Tiago shrank into her wings. To Sophia's horror, Jespa came storming out - followed by the corpse of a large spider. Jespa flung the body down, but it was then that Sophia realized that it was legless. The legs soon followed, flung down onto the branch. "Crawl back to the city you came from!" Jespa roared. By now, both Tiago's wails and Jespa's voice had attracted an audience. Not a good audience.

"What's happened?" Eduardo demanded. To Sophia's dismay, the patriarch was accompanied by Mimi and Blu, although Jewel and the girls were absent - perhaps this was good, since Jewel had such a temper. Immediately, Tiago wriggled out of Sophia's grasp, fleeing to the sanctuary of Blu's wings. Eduardo's scorching and accusing gaze rested on Jespa.

"Dad, it was horrible! I went to get a spider because I saw it go in, but then he came back and -"

"Woah, woah! Slow down!" Blu said, in alarm, but Tiago rushed on. What the chick said chilled Sophia to the bone.

"He grabbed the spider and tore off it's legs, one by one!" Tiago wailed. This rendered all the three adult relatives - and the crowd - speechless. But not Sophia. Already enraged with what Jespa did to the grave marker, Sophia seized him by the neck.

"He's just a boy!" She shrieked. "First you vandalize Andre's grave marker -"

"He what?" Gasped somebody in the crowd.

"-and now you not only cause unnecessary suffering, but also terrify a chick? You disgust me!" Sophia couldn't help herself. She leapt onto Jespa, raking her talons. The crowd started gasping - some even started cheering - but then, moments later, wings were wrestling them apart.

"Enough!" Shouted Mimi. "You lot! Get Jespa to Eduardo's hollow." Carlos and Tobias hauled Jespa away, ignoring his curses and shouts. Sophia went to follow, but Mimi interrupted. "Sophia, leave! Go to your mother." Seething, Sophia turned, and shoved through the crowd. She was worried to see that Blu and Tiago were gone - what if Jewel found out? She wasn't the forgive and forget kind.

Her heart pounding and blood roaring in her ears, Sophia shot across the ravine, ready to tell Zenaida - but thought better of it. She couldn't take anymore stress.

Sophia landed on a branch, and went to enter the hollow, before she paused. Zenaida couldn't see her like this. Smoothing her ruffled plumage and trying to calm herself, Sophia looked at her talons to make sure that none of Jespa's feathers were stuck in them. Her heart sank - it was this branch that changed her life. She swallowed hard, and looked over the edge. She closed her eyes - behind her eyelids, there were flashing images of Andre falling to his death, while her ears rang with Zenaida's wails and Jespa's accusing voice. Shaking her head, Sophia prepared to face her mother. Forcing a smile and cheerful voice, she took hold of the entrance cover, although she couldn't stop her shaking wings.

"Mother?" She asked, pushing the moss curtain aside. Zenaida lay, alone, in her nest - and Sophia was greeted by the thick, humid air. She gasped. "Mother, you can barely breathe! Honestly, your lungs can't take it!" Sophia threw open the curtain, and luckily, there was a decent breeze. Zenaida hadn't replied. She looked over her shoulder, with a frown. "Mother?" She said, much louder, knowing for sure that she must have been heard.

There was still no response. Sophia found herself slowing down, as she approached the nest - but then, she was standing above Zenaida. She was laying with her back to Sophia - she could practically see the fever and heat radiating off her. Zenaida's feathers were dark and damp with sweat, and she was trembling. Worried now, Sophia turned Zenaida over - but then she screamed. Behind her, she heard flapping wings.

"Sophia!" Shouted Jewel, her voice drowning out Sophia's scream. Her turquoise eyes blazed with blue flame. "Where is he? I'll _flay_ that brother of yours when I get my talons -" but then Jewel's beak snapped shut, for she saw the blood down Zenaida's front.

"Get a healer!" Sophia cried. She was barely aware of the chaos that followed, as healers swarmed the hollow. "Mother, mother!"


	18. End of a life

Roberto rushed to Zenaida's tree, his wings beating hard. Upon return from the midday patrol, he had been swept with hassling voices, hastily explaining what had happened shortly after he had left. This wasn't the only news he had learned - in the quiet ravine, Eduardo's infuriated shouts were heard.

 _"This is inexcusable, Jespa! How dare you terrify my grandson! First you vandalize your own father's grave marker, and now this! You're a nutcase!"_ this was all Roberto had heard, for everyone was listening to Jespa getting what he deserved - a scolding from the patriarch. He had just been told by an angry Blu and a seething Jewel about what Jespa had done to Tiago - he had torn off a spider's legs, one by one, in his face. Carla and Bia were trying to calm their little brother down, apparently without success. But no matter how furious Jewel was, the disturb in her eyes wasn't entirely from what had happened from the spider incident.

 _"I went to find Sophia and Zenaida, to try and find Jespa, but when I went in, Zenaida was covered in blood."_ Jewel's words echoed in his ears. The healers were with her now, but there was no news. He had received so much hassle from everyone because he was the only one who could calm Sophia, who had been asking for him.

Sophia had had a minor panic attack following the incident. The apprentice healers had tried to calm her, but she had not yet resumed to a safe state. She wasn't entirely calm yet, but since it had started, she had desperately begged for his presence. She wanted to see him, and no one else.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jespa streaking across the ravine from Eduardo's tree. As soon as he got to his mother's, he snapped something to Sophia and the apprentice healer, before shoving into the tree.

Sophia was leaning heavily on the tree trunk of her mother's tree. One apprentice was trying to calm her, but even from the distance, Roberto could see her struggling to breathe. Hastily, Roberto sped down to the branch. Seeing him, the relieved apprentice healer took a step back, allowing him through. Roberto rushed to her, but didn't get too close. "Sophia, it's me." He said, and at the sound of his voice, Sophia looked up. Her eyes were pink and watering, her breath shallow and rapid. Her wings were crimson - at first he thought she was injured, but then he realized that it was Zenaida's. Her fearful eyes were fixed on the stains.

"He, he said..."

"He?" Roberto asked, before remembering Jespa. He stiffened, before looking up at the apprentice. "Go in there and help. I'll call you if you're needed." The young macaw nodded, before disappearing into the hollow. He placed his wings upon Sophia's shoulders. "Listen to me. Just calm down and breathe." Sophia finally took her eyes off the stains, looking up into his eyes. As their eyes met, a strange serenity overtook Roberto, and seemingly, it was the same case for her. Her breathing slowed and became less frantic, although she was still gasping. "Breathe. In, out." Roberto said, gently. Sophia closed her eyes, and did as she was asked, inhaling deeply. After a few moments, her eyes opened.

"Roberto." She whispered.

"Oh, Soph." He said, painfully - he was appalled by the upset. Her gatherered her into his wings and embraced her, lightly - but then she threw her wings around him and gave him a tight hug. After a few moments, Sophia's grasp loosened.

"I'm sorry, what must you think of me, crying like this..." she let him go, burying her face into her wings.

"Hey, I don't care if you get tears over me. All I care about is you." Roberto said, brushing her head feathers back into place. "What's happened? Zenaida, the grave marker...?"

"I... I just came to see her. She had blood all over her front, coming from her beak." Sophia couldn't look at him. "The healers got me out, and I just started to panic. Just now, Jespa came along and told me that... it's all on me. I've killed dad _and_ her, now. He scratched out my name on Andre's grave marker." Roberto blinked at her - shock and rage tore through him, the pure hatred he felt for Jespa.

"I'll strangle him." He vowed, but Sophia's grip on his wings tightened.

"Please don't. Just... stay with me, please. For all I know Zenaida's dying in there." Roberto hesitated, itching to give Jespa a piece of his mind, but he knew he had to stay with her. So they both sat down side-by-side, and Roberto put his wing around her, and they sat there like they had last night, with her head against his shoulder. He could feel her tears leaking onto his feathers, but he didn't mind. After a few moments, Sophia said something inaudible.

"Sorry?" He asked.

"It was this branch. This is where he fell." Sophia whispered. Roberto looked at it, imagining Zenaida shoving a male macaw, since he had joined the tribe after Andre's death.

"Don't think about it." Roberto murmured, resting his other wing on her cheek, where it weren't sure how much time passed. The frantic voices within the tree seemed to fade, and Jespa sounded angrier, demanding that they 'help her better.' The blue sky had turned dark from cloud, and the air had cooled considerably, with the wind making it seem eerily cold.

Then there was the swish of moss curtain. Roberto and Sophia looked up, to see a line of healers walking out, with sombre faces. None of them said a word - Roberto glanced at Sophia, with uncertainty, as the healers flew away. One, however, remained. It was Mateo who delivered diagnoses - and bad news. Immediately, Sophia sprang to her feet. "How is she? What's wrong with her?" She pleaded. Mateo looked at Roberto, with dark eyes. Roberto rose to his talons, and again put his wing around her, realizing that the news wasn't good.

"I don't know how to explain, Sophia." Mateo said, rubbing his forehead. "Her long bout of coughing has resulted in... severe damage to her lungs. Her lungs have never been entirely functional anywag, and the lung damage is the cause of the blood - we think. The blood may have been the result of an underlying disease. She's always had a shortness of breath, and she's suffered from a weak immune system that has only contributed to her weakened organs. With that and her advanced age combined... I'm afraid her lungs are starting to shut down."

Sophia gasped, and for a moment, Roberto was afraid her panic attack would resume, but luckily, it didn't. "Her lungs... aren't working properly?"

"Very soon, they won't work at all." Said Mateo, sombrely. "And this sets off a chain. Without properly functioning lungs, her oxygen supply is limited. As she gets less oxygen, her other organs will begin to fail - her heart, her brain, and the rest. They're already in bad condition from all the illnesses she's caught in her lifetime, and she's had some terrible ones."

"It... it's not...?" Sophia began.

"No. It's not treatable." Mateo said, quietly. His eyes glazed with sympathy and sorrow. "I'm sorry, but her condition is just too severe. I don't know how much longer she has, but I suggest you should go in there, and say goodbye."

Sophia's wings went up to her beak. She was shaking her head. Behind Mateo, Jespa shoved through the moss curtain, tears streaming from his eyes. He didn't say a word - he simply flew away. Zenaida's feeble voice pulled at Roberto's heartstrings. "I love you! Please, my son -" then there was weak coughing. Sophia lurched forward, before making her way to the curtain. Roberto followed, his heart thudding.

It was cool and dark. Zenaida lay, propped up, in her nest. She was sickly-looking, her feathers seeming greyer than before. The bare skin of her face was almost pure white, and her breathing was rapid and ragged. She was trying to gasp for air, but even gasping was a struggle for her lungs. Her golden eyes had lost their glow, and were now dull. The healers had tried to clean the scarlet stain on her neck and chest, but some of it still remained. Zenaida struggled to raise her head, extending a trembling wing. Her face was tear-stained.

"Sophia." She rasped. Sophia rushed forward, kneeling at her mother's side, grabbing her wing and clinging onto it. Roberto stood back, not wanting to invade this moment. Fear made his heart race, and a lump had formed in his throat. This was so familiar.

 _"You'll be alright..."_

 _"No, Roberto... I won't. You have to know that I'll always be with you... even if you can't see me."_

 _"What are you talking about? I can always see you. Mom? You... you can't fall asleep. Mom?"_ Roberto screwed his eyes shut, not wanting to remember what had happened next. Those words haunted him. As he looked at Sophia with Zenaida, all he saw was himself, at his own mother's body. _Alessandra._ His mother dying in agony. He couldn't imagine Sophia going through the pain he had felt.

"Save your breath, please." Sophia begged, her voice breaking with anguish. Zenaida weakly shook her head.

"I don't have much time left..." she sighed.

"Don't be stupid. You'll have loads more years. You just... have to get better." Sophia assured her, but Roberto knew she didn't believe that. Zenaida apparently didn't hear. She went on in a sombre, feverish voice.

"My darling. I'm so sorry. From the day your father died, I was a failure of a mother to you. I have blamed you for the incident ever since, but only recently have I realized that it was my fault."

"But -"

"No. I pushed him." Zenaida shook her head yet again. "I was so stupid. Your father loved me dearly, and I was too selfish to put my family before some silly affair... I look back and I'm so deeply ashamed..."

"It was all long ago." Sophia tried to protest. "You musn't be too hard on yourself. It's been almost twenty years..."

"Twenty years." Zenaida sighed, deliriously. "You should be a mother yourself..." her eyes glazed. "Promise me that you won't let your brother stop you from living your life. Your future is in _your_ wings - you forget about what he wants. I tried reasoning with him... but he didn't listen." She spluttered a little. "Don't let him, please. You deserve so much better." Zenaida's eyes fixed on something Roberto and Sophia couldn't see. They widened. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. I'm so sorry - you forgive me? Oh, Andre. I never deserved you..."

"Mother." Sophia choked, as Zenaida began to gasp for breath.

"I'm with him now, Sophia. Your father's here to take me away. Remember, my darling... I'll always be with you, although I don't think I deserve to be. I'll be watching you..." Zenaida's head fell back against the moss. "Always." She breathed, before her eyes slid shut. "You... you have your father's eyes, don't you? That wonderful... midnight blue. You'll have some beautiful children, you know." Zenaida sighed, almost in content. "Goodbye, my love... may we meet again."

"Mom..." Sophia rested her wing on the side of her mother's face. Zenaida's chest was now still, and her rattling breaths no longer sounded. Her eyes were closed, although her beak had the most wonderful smile. Roberto blinked several times, and then a tear escaped from his eye. She was gone.

Sophia retracted her shaking wing - and then he heard it. The sobs escaping from her throat. She grabbed Zenaida's still wings, head falling onto the nest side, her body racking with her weeps. Roberto slowly moved forward, sinking to the ground beside Sophia. He rested a hesitant wing on her shoulder, trying to offer comfort - but then Sophia let go of her mother's body, clinging onto him instead, weeping into his neck. So Roberto cradled her there in the dark hollow, his own tears falling, her anguished cries piercing his heart.


	19. An emotional day

Roberto stood solemnly, his wing entertwined with Sophia's. Her face was tear-stained, her eyes red from crying. He was trying to keep his own emotions down - he had to be strong for her. He had attended a few funerals in his life, but this had to be the most emotional one since Tia's burial and Jewel's memorial, since she had been assumed dead at the time.

"... with the final petal placed, according to tradition, we will say farewell." Said Morgana, the female macaw who usually spoke at funerals. "Beloved Zenaida, we hope you find peace. We pray that you find your way up to the stars, where we are sure your Andre will welcome you. Respected and loved by many, Zenaida was a macaw touched by hard times and tragedy, but she lived with dignity. We will acknowledge her life yet again in the festival of stars, and then we will remember her again for years after." Morgana turned to Sophia. "Do you have the grave marker?" It was tradition for the youngest family member to lay the marker, or the youngest one strong enough to carry a slab of stone.

"Yes." She said, hoarsely. Sophia let go of his wing, slowly walking forwards, hugging the stone to her chest. She didn't make eye contact with Jespa at all, ignoring his cold glare. She knelt, and then carefully laid the stone down onto the sea of petals, which was, according to tradition, laid by the whole tribe, one macaw for each petal. _Loved Zenaida, we will remember you always. Love your two children, Jespa, and Sophia and her dear friend, Roberto._

"What the hell is that?" Interrupted Jespa, coldly, spotting Roberto's name, before glaring daggers at him. Roberto stiffened.

"Don't be so disrespectful!" Jewel hissed, from behind Jespa - she clearly took pleasure in scolding him, after the events of yesterday. He whirled round, looking ready to spit venom, but a poisonous look from Eduardo and Mimi stopped him. Jewel stood with Blu, Eduardo, and Mimi, all of whom were trying to look respectful but were clearly desperate to get away from Jespa. Out of respect, the three kids were in the trees with the other attendees - and in Tiago's case, out of fear. Roberto couldn't blame the chick for wanting to stay as far away from Jespa as possible.

Finally, it was done. Morgana bowed her head for a few moments, and once she rose it again, it was over. Everyone began to leave, murmuring their condolences to Sophia and Jespa as they went - Eduardo and company didn't look at Jespa as they spoke, of course. Soon, it was just Roberto, Sophia, and Jespa. Once the others were out of earshot, Jespa swarmed toward his sister, but Roberto stepped between the two siblings. He glared at Jespa meaningfully; clearly in no mood to challenge him, Jespa turned and stalked away. _That's right,_ Roberto thought.

Once Jespa had gone, Roberto turned, and returned to Sophia. Her glazed eyes found him, before she closed them and rested her head upon his shoulder. Roberto knew exactly how she felt.

Sophia had never felt this empty, not since Andre had died. A black flower in her head feathers, she stood with Roberto before the grave. Zenaida had been buried next to Andre, as she would have wanted - together in the living world, and together in the afterlife. A small fragment of content filled her: Andre forgived her mother. At least, that was what the delirious Zenaida thought she saw. But deep down, Sophia knew it was true - she had felt Andre's presence, in Zenaida's last moments. Andre's forgiveness didn't surprise her, for he had always been a very forgiving bird, and she was glad for it. They were together now, for the first time in nineteen years. Together Zenaida and Andre would stay.

But this the only good thought she had. All else was despair. She was alone. She had no family; Jespa didn't exactly count. She felt as dark and black as the flower in her head feathers. No parents, no sibling to rely on. She was alone, with nobody else to turn to except for Roberto.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, quietly.

"Awful." Sophia sobbed. The warmth of his wings barely comforted her at all.

"You have no idea how sorry I am. I know exactly how you feel." His sympathy wasn't a comfort either. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Sophia struggled out of his wings. "I... I have to get out of here. I want to be alone." She spun round and flew away, her beak clamped shut to stop any sobs. She couldn't bare it.

It seemed an unbearably long time before she escaped the ravine. She wanted to find somewhere secretive, where there would be nobody to judge her or watch her crying. She just wanted somewhere comforting. She wasn't entirely sure how far she had flown from home, before she saw the river, golden in the light of the dying sun. She had always found it calming.

Sophia landed in a tree, leaning heavily against the trunk. As she stared at the water, trying to imagine the calm and serenity of it, she seemed to feel worse. _What was dad's trick? Imagine myself floating in cool water..._ that usually worked. Andre had said that to Jespa during his toddler tantrums, before he died. For a couple of moments, she thought she was calming down, but then the water she was imagining turned fizzling and unbearably hot.

Sophia couldn't fight it any longer. As she remembered her mother's dead, cold face, the tears came flooding back. Sophia slid down the trunk, eyes screwed shut to stop them escaping, but they fought their way through her eyelids. She began to weep out loud, unable to bear the pain. Tear after tear rolled down her face, until her cheeks were soaked.

"I don't deserve this." She wept. "Mom, this is all my fault... if I had just visited you sooner, you could have been saved! Or we could have had more time before... before..." Sophia lost the words. She turned her face toward the trunk, expecting to feel bark, but instead found petals. Rubbing her eyes, she sniffed, to be welcomed by the comforting aroma of orchids. Roberto had once said that she carried the scent of the flower. Desperate to think of something other than Zenaida, Sophia looked at the plant. It was a lovely shade of deep violet, with dappling lilac spots across the petals. It was such a comfort, to see the pretty flower. _I've always loved orchids. Especially as a name._

Sophia drew her wing across her eyes. She had to pull herself together - Zenaida wouldn't want this. She was an adult, not a kid - she shouldn't be crying. Pulling her gaze away from the flowers, all Sophia wanted now was to be in her nest. She looked up, and saw how the sky had darkened already. She prepared to return home,but lingered on the branch. _Just a little longer. Then I'll go back._

 _Later_

Roberto watched the ravine entrance, waiting. The moon was starting to rise, the sky darkening. As with any funeral, the feel in the air was sombre. Flowers and fruit had been left outside his tree, for Sophia. Unfortunately, sympathy toward Jespa was minimal. Sophia had been given so much more sympathy, but then no one felt too guilty - everytime somebody actually tried to say something to Jespa or leave him a condolence gift, he would either demand that they go away, or he would grab their gift and throw it away in anger. If he complained about lack of sympathy there was a valid excuse.

Resting his chin on his wings, Roberto gazed through the ravine. It was quiet, from the air of sadness hanging over, but now, moods seemed to lighten with the shining stars. Even Tiago, who had been quiet throughout the day and yesterday, was starting to recover from Jespa's frightening actions. Despite his mood, Roberto couldn't help but smile as he heard his now-happy voice. "Hey, what's orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot! Ha!"

"That's not your funniest joke, T."

"Oh, come on, Carla! It's better than anything you come up with."

"Oh, yeah? How about this - oh, no! I just realized - my iPod! It's in the jungle!"

"Really? It's taken you _that_ long to notice?"

"Tiago, don't tease your sister. Carla, don't worry. Your mother said that we'll go back to the city in the Summer, and then we'll come back - we'll get you another one. I'm sure you can survive a few months without an iPod."

"But dad, I just downloaded thirty new songs! Do you know how long it took with the lousy internet? It's so slow, I'm not downloading every single one again!"

"I'm sure Fernando's laptop has all your old songs saved. Hopefully it hasn't broken again..."

"Oh, come on! That wasn't my fault -"

"Carla, it was decreed that it was officially your fault -"

"Decreed? Officially? All your fancy words, Bia..."

Roberto smirked, amused - and with the human words, confused - by the conversation. The thought of the three chicks lifted his mood, and he almost forgot about Zenaida's demise when he thought about the possibility of having his own. _The question is who their mother will be. But that's a question I know the answer to._ He was certain Sophia was the one. The only thing that prevented him from doing something about his feelings was Jespa. What if they did end up having kids? As long as Jespa was around, Roberto was certain that any kids of his and Sophia's would not be safe. He shook it off. They were just friends... he was just getting too ahead of himself. It had just been an emotional day.

Below, there was the skittering of talons on the ground of his nest. Looking down, he recognized Sophia's periwinkle-tinted feathers. Heart jolting, he sprang to his feet and rushed down, concerned for her. "Soph?" He asked, worriedly, bursting into the hollow. She turned, with an exhausted look. "You look shattered, sweetie -" _did I really just call her sweetie?_ "Are you okay?"

"I feel shattered." She sighed. Her face was both red from tears and grey from fatigue. "I'm sorry, but... I just want to go to bed and cry." Sophia staggered toward her nest, and disappeared under the moss. Knowing that Sophia wouldn't appreciate his fussing, Roberto went into his own nest.

"Good night." He said, awkwardly, but Sophia didn't answer. For a few moments, he sat with his eyes shut, but then, to his surprise, something climbed into his nest, and snuggled up to his side. Eyes flickering open, Roberto glanced down, to see Sophia with her head on his shoulder, eyes closed but still seeping tears. His heart speeding up at this, Roberto put a wing over her. _Just friends... really?_ He considered saying something, but then sleep claimed him. After a few minutes of tears, Sophia fell asleep too.


	20. He's in love

Sophia picked at the leaf-lantern net. The net was several leaves joined; all she had to do was stick the burning twigs in and fold the leaves up, before tying them up at the top. Leaving a tiny gap, of course, so it could be lit later on. It had been three whole days since the funeral, but her emotions were as raw as the day Zenaida had died. Seventy-two hours had passed, and she didn't feel any better. All she had thought about over the past few days was Zenaida.

The leaf lantern was very cleverly made. There was a special cup made of a special difficult-to-burn plant to contain the twigs as they burned, so the leaf container wouldn't burst into flames immediately. As the leaf floated upwards, the cup material would eventually catch fire and burn away so then the rest of the leaves would follow, and not fall down somewhere and set something alight. Whoever had devised it was a genius, clearly. _Rosaline. That was her name._ The mother of Eduardo and Mimi had come up with the Festival of Stars, and the lantern idea.

"Hey." Sophia was stirred out of her thoughts by Roberto's voice. She glanced up. "You've been sitting there for a few moments, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine... just tired." She, Roberto and a few others were part of a group of volunteers who made the lamps a few hours prior. She volunteered every year, but this year, she almost hadn't. But when Roberto had announced he was going, she had decided to go. Not only did she want her mind off Zenaida, but she had to get away from her psycho brother. Jespa was desperate to get her on her own, she could tell. He didn't dare approach her when someone was with her, but whenever he saw her alone, Jespa would rush her way. Sophia would quickly find somebody to talk to, so he wouldn't be able to bother her.

Jespa was growing more and more unstable. Zenaida's demise had triggered something within him - he had already been deteriorating before the event, but now he was at boiling point. He was just like a volcano, or a bomb - she was terrified he would soon explode. From their position in a sandy cliff hollow, she could see him arguing with Morgana, criticizing her over the funeral - apparently it hadn't been good enough.

"-it's an abomination!" He declared, furiously.

"Jespa..." Morgana held up her wings. "I don't _care_ if you don't like Roberto's name on the marker. It's there, and that's how it's going to stay. It was decreed that once a marker is down, it's down. That reminds me - because you vandalized Andre's marker, it'll have to be recarved! How could you be so thoughtless?"

"You know what's thoughtless? _Her_ idiotic decision to place her boyfriend's name on my mother's marker! It's defacing!"

"Does anyone else hear a whining drone?" Asked Jewel, sitting a few feet away with Blu, who was tying off a lantern. Blu flashed a worried look at Sophia, obviously concerned that she would be offended. Sophia shook her head, to show that she was fine with it. Jewel, meanwhile, returned to her lantern. "Oh, I haven't done this for so long." Jewel sighed, deeply. "I only made one once, when I was little."

"I remember that first one." Roberto said, fondly. "I had been in the tribe for only two weeks. Oh, Blu - let me tell you a story about the time Jewel accidentally pushed Mimi into a pond..." as Roberto began telling the hilarious story, Sophia heard a frustrated complaint.

"This is so annoying!" Complained Tiago. The four adults were joined by Bia and Tiago, while Carla was playing with Carlos's son, Augustus, and a few other kids. Tiago had little patience, but even with Bia's added help the two small chicks were finding it difficult to make just one lantern. It kept falling apart.

"Just hold that bit there -" Bia squeaked, stretching up to try and keep the leaves together, but then the lighting twigs came tumbling out. "Oh, no!" She grumbled, trying to reach them with her left talon, but then Tiago lost his grasp on one side. The entire thing fell to the floor, yet again. She glared at Tiago. "Well done."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" Tiago protested. Sophia, for the first time in days, felt a smile forming. Placing her lantern net to the side, Sophia rose to her feet as the two chicks started bickering.

"Hey, come on, that's enough." She said, crossing the gap between them and her. Bia and Tiago turned, from their arguing.

"She started it -" Tiago began, accusingly.

"It doesn't matter _who_ started it." Sophia reminded him, before sitting. "What seems to be the problem? Can't get your lantern to keep together?"

"No." Bia sighed. "It just keeps falling to pieces." Sophia smiled.

"Would you like me to help you?" She asked, and the two nodded gratefully.

"Yes please!" They chirupped, in unison.

"Okay. How about I fold up the leaves, Tiago puts in the burning twigs, and Bia ties it up?" She suggested. As the two chicks nodded, Sophia took the edges of the leaves. "Bia, would you mind lifting the other two, for just a moment?"

"Sure!" Bia quickly picked up the other two, pulling them up to meet the remaining leaves Sophia had. Sophia was then able to hold all four ends together, as Bia let go, and reached for the tying vine. Tiago, meanwhile, stuffed the twigs through the gap, into the holder. Bia wrapped the vine around the top, and after a few moments, had it tied in a neat double-knot.

"Awesome!" Tiago declared, before beaming at her. "Thank you, Sophia!"

"Yes, thank you!" Bia repeated. "Can you help us make another?"

"I don't see why not." Sophia said, warmly. Her heart, for the first time in days, was warm, like her words, and now, the warmth was spreading to her eyes. She loved children - it was the thing Jespa knew she wanted most, the thing he knew would maximize her happiness. He'd do anything to keep that from her. No wonder he chased away her boyfriends. But as she helped Bia and Tiago with a second lantern, thoughts of Jespa were forgotten.

"Roberto? You were saying?" Blu asked. Roberto jumped, realizing he had been watching the scene.

"Sorry, I got distracted..." His voice hushed, full of admiration, and something else. "Isn't she great with kids?" He said it almost longingly. Both Blu and Jewel knew how much Roberto wanted children; but they noticed something else significant.

"Yes, she is." Jewel agreed. She looked knowingly at Blu. "Blu, don't you think you've seen the look in his eyes before? I think I have. We've been together for four years, and we both know when someone's in love." Roberto jolted, and snapped his head up, in surprise. How had they guessed?

 _"Love?"_

"Yes, Roberto! I've seen that look so many times. It's how my dad used to look at my mom; how Rafael looks at Eva; how Blu looks at me -" Blu went cerise, but he was wearing a goofy smile, as Jewel kissed him on the cheek. "Honestly, Roberto. I think you're both a lot more than friends."

"What, me and Sophia? Get out of the ravine..." but there was no denying it. His flaming cheeks and embarrassed tone were obvious.

"I think she's right. Jewel has very good judgement." Blu added. Roberto glanced at Sophia, where she and the two chicks were starting to make a third lantern. It seemed so natural, for Sophia - the way she was acting with the kids, she was so comfortable and at ease. Despite the tragedy that had occurred not long ago, Sophia was smiling again. To see her happy made his heart soar.

Her happiness wasn't the only thing that made him happy. Just hearing her voice, seeing her dazzling eyes, was enough to brighten any mood. It made his heart flutter like a butterfly's wings. It wasn't just recently - if anything, he'd always felt something for her. _I can't deny it to myself any longer. I love her, don't I?_

"I have to tell her." He whispered, half to Blu and Jewel, and half to himself. The couple looked warmly at each other.

"You should." Jewel encouraged. They all looked at Sophia, who hadn't heard the conversation, for she was occupied with Bia and Tiago, as well as them speaking in hushed tones. Roberto rested his chin on his wings, unable to keep his eyes off her. He wanted to tell her right now, but this wasn't the right time. Under her increasingly positive exterior, she was likely still feeling blue over Zenaida. He'd wait, at least until after the festival was over. It was tonight - he was sure he could wait until tomorrow.


	21. The festival begins

Sophia lay on a branch, a pink trumpet flower sitting at her side. She picked it up, gazing at the vibrant petals. Johanna's territory was perhaps the only place she could get any privacy from Jespa. He despised the Blue-and-Gold tribe, and their leaders - she couldn't imagine why, for they were such a lovely community. He was on a warpath, and she needed some time alone without having to face him.

She felt sick. It wasn't necessarily a bad kind of sick - just a weird, wriggling feel in her stomach. Her heart was fluttering ten to the dozen, all because she couldn't get Roberto's face out of her mind. "Oh, what's the matter with me?" She groaned, putting the flower down. "I should be grieving. Instead I'm thinking about him. Some daughter I am. Four days since she died, and I'm not mourning."

Sophia rolled onto her stomach, one wing under her chin, the other hanging off the branch. Hadn't her heart learned it's lesson? After being broken so many times, it was pining again for some male? She scolded it. It should have learned by now that it wasn't worth it - why fall in love, when Jespa hated her to the ends of the Earth? She wanted a relationship with Roberto, but with Jespa around, that was impossible.

"I can't be in love." She grumbled, gazing at the flower. "I'm _not_ in love."

"What's this about love?" Said a voice above. A pair of talons dropped before her face, and Sophia could tell by the colours of the feathers that it was the only hybrid macaw she knew.

"Oh, no." Sophia moaned, sitting up. "Vicky... how did you find me here?"

"My mate _lives_ here." Victoria reminded her, and Sophia recalled the Blue-and-Gold macaw. The Catalina rested her chin on her wings. "I haven't seen you in almost a week. Where have you been? We've been worried."

"Oh, yeah. My psycho brother." Sophia muttered, remembering the disaster. "About that... I'm not sure when I'll next be singing. This is a bad time."

"Why's that?"

"It's just a hard time." Sophia said, quickly. She wasn't going to tell Victoria that her mother died. It was something she'd rather forget - if she told Vicky, she could guarantee that the next time she went to the club, everyone would be offering their sympathies, or a moment of silence would be held. Victoria, seeing how she didn't want to discuss it, sat down beside her.

"Alright. They'll understand." She assured her. "Now, what's this about love?"

"It's nothing -" Sophia tried to deny it.

"I know the look!" Victoria giggled, playfully, forgetting the 'bad time' stuff. "Darling, it's okay - you're in love! Why deny it to yourself? Anyone could see it." Her eyes lit up. "Let me guess. It's that Roberto, isn't it?"

"No..."

"Look at that smile!" Victoria teased. "Tell me - is he an 'absolute dream?' After you left after that, ahem, little scenario, we were asked if you two were an item. They were shocked when I told them no! The chemistry was sizzling."

"No, it's not... we're just friends..." Sophia tried to fight the grin.

"Let's go over the evidence. You're _living_ together, you sang together, and your cheeks are pinker than a _flamingo_! Sophia, don't you think it's time you settled down with a wonderful guy? You're nineteen! You could have been a mother thirteen years ago." Victoria held her wings. "This is what life's all about. Finding that someone who makes you whole. Don't hesitate or feel bad - it's okay, you're in love!" Sophia stared at Victoria, hardly believing that they were having this conversation. But she couldn't deny it any longer.

"Alright. Maybe I _am_ in love with Roberto." Sophia admitted.

"There you go then!" Victoria chortled. She plucked up the trumpet flower, sticking it into Sophia's wings. "Go for it, girl. I'd love to stay and do girl talk, but I'm having a chat with my sister-in-law. My guy thinks she's got a good voice, but he's having a hard time convincing her to sing." Victoria danced away. "See ya, Soph! I hope you enjoy the Festival of Stars later."

This last sentence killed Sophia's mood. "Yeah, sure... bye." _I'll try to enjoy a festival about death. Especially four days after the death of my mother._ Sophia sat back down, eyes on the flower. She tried to refocus on her romance dilemma.

 _It's okay, you're in love!_ Vicky's words echoed in her mind, and she realized the Catalina macaw was right. So what if she was faced with Jespa's meddling; everything was alright. _Because I'm in love._

It was then that Sophia noticed how the sun was sinking further into the azure of the sky. _Azure is such a beautiful shade of blue, s_ he thought, admirably. The colour, however, was darkening. It wasn't far off nightfall, and the festival was bound to start soon. She should probably start heading back. As Sophia began the journey back, her mood sank again. _I'll send Zenaida and Andre a lantern._

 _Meanwhile_

"Who's idea was it to have a party after the lamps? I've forgotten." Roberto said, arranging the flowers - it had been his job to organize the floral decorations for the party. He paused, as his wingtips brushed a bromeliad. The magenta, orange and yellow plants had always captured his eye - bromeliads always stood out to him as one of the prettiest flowers.

"I think Jewel mentioned that it was her mother's idea. Tia, wasn't it?" Blu said, where he had woven a few passion flowers into some vines.

"Yes, Tia." Roberto confirmed. "She was just like Jewel - maybe less ferocious."

"Are you sure?" Chuckled Mimi, from where she was passing by, staggering under some decorative wreaths. "There's stories of Tia being quite the assassin in her younger days, and I have memories to prove it!" Roberto rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Yeah, it was Tia's suggestion - she thought that a party afterwards would signify the celebration of our loved ones' lives. As well as it being terrific fun. Hey, would you mind passing me that yellow flower?" Blu did as asked, with a smile, before running over to help Carlos and Manuela hang up a decorative vine. Roberto was so glad to see Blu fitting into tribelife, as well as becoming more comfortable around him and the other tribe members. After a couple of moments, Blu came back.

"I hate to ask, but... have you seen Jespa today? After his argument with Morgana, he vanished."

"I wouldn't know, Blu. He's quite nutty." Roberto then sighed. "Listen to me. I'm insulting what could possibly be my future brother-in-law..."

"Well, I think everyone agrees he's not quite right." Blu nodded.

"Not quite right?" Chirped a girl's voice. Looking up, the two males saw Bia swinging above, on a vine. "I was chatting with a few friends earlier. Based on what they described, I could possibly help diagnose what's wrong with Jespa."

"Ah, Bia, I don't think that's appropriate -"

"Au contraire, dad. Mental health issues are a very serious matter. Jespa displays several behavioural traits that could make him fit into several disease categories." Bia began listing off several theories. "If he hears voices and hallucinates like Sophia says, he could have a form of schizophrenia, but since he jumps between moods he could easily be bipolar. Another possibility, the exaggerated emotions -"

"Sis! I need help!" Sqeauled Carla, from where she trying to stop an unstable pile of lanterns from collapsing.

"Coming!" Bia replied, abandoning her diagnosing. Blu sighed.

"Sorry about that."

"Honestly, Blu, that girl is beyond intelligent." Roberto said, staring after Bia. "Considering her age!"

"She is quite the genius." Blu said, proudly. "She's an Isaac Newton in the making."

"Isaac Newton?" Roberto asked, puzzled.

"Isaac Newton was a physicist. He theorized gravity when an apple fell from a tree!" Bia answered, over her shoulder. _Doesn't really answer my question..._

"Isaac Newton was a human genius, from four to three hundred-odd years ago." Blu explained. "Very clever guy. Carla's mildly interested, Bia loves him, but Tiago thinks he's awfully boring." Roberto then murmured something under his breath. "Sorry?"

"I was saying... Isaac. It's a nice name." Roberto nodded to himself. Before they could speak further, Eduardo's booming voice rang out from an above tree.

"Nice work, everyone! This all looks fantastic!" Eduardo was right. Roberto had to admit, it did look incredible. There was a long stretch of pale sand-coloured ground, for both standing around talking, and for dancing for most of the tribe - one could dance on the ground or in the air. This dancefloor was surrounded by large trees, hung with braided vines and several wreaths, while flowers were arranged here and there. There would be singers from the tribe, including Carla and some friends of Roberto's. He usually sung, but he was giving it a miss this year. Sophia was in no mood to show off her skills to the tribe, with recent events. There were plenty of other events throughout the year when she would no longer be feeling the grief, as well as better times for Sophia to rebel against Jespa's wishes.

The volunteers dissipated, as did the rest of the tribe. Blu, Carla, Bia and Mimi headed up to Eduardo, and after a few moments, Tiago arrived with Jewel, who was carrying a few leaf lanterns hanging from a vine. They then headed up to the cliffs, with Jewel, Blu and the kids probably dedicating their lanterns to Tia. Eduardo and Mimi would too, as well as other ones they had lost.

The moon was rising, and the sky was deepening to a rich black. The stars shone down brightly; it was the perfect night for the Festival of Stars. Soon, the lamps would begin their journeys. They could released from anywhere of choice, although most macaws prefered to release them from the tops of their trees or from the top of the ravine cliffs. Roberto wanted this year to be different, however. He was going down onto the plunge pool. Maybe he could stand on a lilypad, or a rock.

"Roberto!" Gasped a voice. He turned, and his heart glowed as he spotted her. Sophia was hurrying into the ravine, looking flustered. "I'm not late, am I? Thank goodness."

"Where were you?" He asked, warmly. He was relieved to see that her cheeks were dry - since Zenaida had died, Sophia frequently returned with a damp, tear-stained face.

"Oh, I just ran into Vicky." She replied, with a smile, although there was no hiding the sadness. Tonight was going to be emotional, for her - and Roberto, too. He had lost his family from a young age, afterall. "Should we grab some flame, lamps and go to your tree? It's starting soon."

"Actually..." He said. "I'm releasing my lantern on the plunge pool. I'll probably be the only one, but... I want to do something different this year."

"On the plunge pool?" Sophia asked, in surprise. There was a slight pause, before she started to smile. "In that case, I can't leave you on your own, can I? I'll join you."

"Really? Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes. Besides..." She glanced to the right. "I don't feel safe on my own, on this emotional night." The protective instinct rose up inside Roberto, as he spotted a bitter-looking Jespa across the ravine. Jespa never sent up a lantern - he thought the whole idea was stupid. He had even once insulted Eduardo and Mimi's mother, Rosaline, since she had devised the idea. Rosaline wasn't alive to hear it, of course, but it was highly insensitive. He had branded it stupid, as well as macaw who came up with it - that remark had earned a slap from an angry Mimi.

"Yeah. I don't blame you." He muttered. He then shook his feathers. "Come on. Let's grab some lanterns and get to the plunge pool before it starts."


	22. Earth angel

"Okay, five more minutes to go!" Declared Eduardo's voice from the top of the cliffs. Roberto and Sophia sat, close together, on one of the rock stumps that rose from the water. The plunge pool surface lapped gently at Roberto's talons, from where they dangled over the side of the stone. The water rippled from how the waterfall and currents stirred it, moving the waterlilies slightly. He held the stick up, so that the water wouldn't extinguish the flame. Two lanterns sat between them, waiting to be lit.

"You've been awfully quiet, Sophia." Roberto said. "Are you alright?" She hadn't said a word since they'd got to this spot.

"This is hard for me." Sophia confessed. "You know, since she's been gone for four days..." there was a long pause. "Roberto, I'm sorry if I'm being a little insensitive. But who do you send your lantern up to? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but... I've never found out."

"Well, I..." Roberto had never told anyone about his family, or their dreadful ending. He had never gathered up the courage. Only Mimi and Tia had known about his carvings in the Wall of Memories, which was where every dead tribe member's name got written into the back of the cave behind the waterfall.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I understand." Sophia murmured, resting her wing upon his.

"No, no... it's okay." Roberto closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. "I send my lantern up to my mother, father, and sister." Sophia blinked, and he knee by the curiosity in her eyes that she wanted to know more. "They... I was very young, and we all got stuck in the middle of a deforestation. One tree exploded and... my sister went missing, I think I saw my father's wing sticking out from under a tree trunk... and my mother. She got impaled by a shard of wood. She managed to get me away from it all, but then she collapsed and... she died, Soph."

"Oh, Roberto... I'm so sorry." Sophia's voice was hardly a whisper. "I didn't know. What... what were their names?"

"My mom was called Alessandra. Ramon was my dad, and my sister... she was called Talitha." A permanent weight on Roberto's chest seemed to lighten. He had felt it everyday since their deaths, but as he talked about it, it started to melt.

"You never told anybody?"

"No. After Alessandra died, I just freaked out. That's when..." His voice died away.

"Is that when you were found by the tribe?" Sophia guessed. "I remember Jewel found you in the stream, didn't she?" but he shook his head.

"Well, that is true, but that happened a few weeks after. After Alessandra died, I ran through the forest, you know, since I was too little to fly - that's when I got caught in a trap." Sophia blinked in suprise. To his own, he kept going. Roberto told her everything. He told her how he was kept in the unbearable heat by those two humans, and spent every night terrified that he would be killed by their cat, or would spend the rest of his days imprisoned. He told her how he had spent the days evading being handled by tourists, how he had almost died of starvation and thirst, for the man had only fed him vile 'crackers', dry and bland things that choked him with each mouthful.

"Oh, Roberto..." She sounded horrified, but he wasn't finished.

"I thought I escaped that day, when the chain fell, and I flew for my life. But I was wrong." This was it. No going back. With one talon, he reached under the feathers of his leg, and pulled the ring down, exposing the heavily gnawed white material and faded black scrawl. Sophia gasped, in horror. She leaned forward to get a better look, prodding it with her wingtip, before recoiling at the human creation. "I know. It's terrible."

"Roberto, you've had to deal with that, all this time?"

"Yes." He sighed, deeply. Sophia took both his wings, her eyes even darker than before, with her sympathy.

"I swear to you. You've done so much for me over these past few weeks, and now I'll do something for you. I promise, I'll help you get rid of that thing."

"But Sophia... I've tried everything."

"Humans created this... thing. They'll have invented something to remove it."

"Sophia... I don't -"

"They're building the Spix's Wing. They'll find a way. I don't like humans anymore than you do, but you have to trust me. You can't live with that." Despite his fear, Roberto knew she was right. The humans at the Spix's Wing weren't like the ones he knew - if they could remove it...

"Thank you, Sophia." He murmured. Was this the right time? "I -"

"Time to light the lamps!" Shouted somebody, cutting him off. Shaking his head, Roberto picked up his lantern, setting it alight, and then Sophia's. He flicked the flame away, and it fizzled away into the water. Above the trees, glowing lights were beginning to spin upwards as they got released. He held his lantern, heart wellling with emotion.

"Love you, mom, dad, Talitha. See you in a couple of years."

"I hope that's many years." Sophia murmured. He glanced at her, hoping she meant what he thought she did. Roberto then let go of the leaf, and, defying gravity, it floated upwards, far above. His vision blurred, as tears came to his eyes. "Mom, dad..." Sophia whispered. "I... I miss you both. And Jespa does too, in his... own way." She then lifted the leaf lamp upwards, giving it a boost, and it spiralled up swiftily, until it joined Roberto's. Like fireflies, the lanterns floated in a great cloud above the ravine, golden glows. Sophia sniffed, wiping at her eyes with her wing. When she dropped it, it intertwined with Roberto's own, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

 _Later_

Sophia stood at the side of the dance, clapping and bouncing her toes to the beat of the music. The band played their strings and blew into the flutes and other wind instruments. Others struck the drums. It was lovely music - the old-fashioned kind some kids would find boring compared to modern day music, but the kind their older relatives would love. This music brought back memories.

She couldn't believe what a bit of good music could do to her mood. Had Zenaida really been dead for four days? The pain was no where near as bad. It was just a pity Jespa didn't feel like same. Where was he? Usually he was trying to flirt with or annoy some uninterested female on the dancefloor, but now, he was no where.

"Quite the party, isn't it?" Jewel dropped to the ground beside her, looking bright. "I've missed this... how are you feeling, Sophia?" There it was again - so many macaws had asked her how she was feeling, since Zenaida's death was so recent.

"I'm alright, I suppose." Sophia shrugged. "You know, I thought I'd be crying for weeks, but... I'm not."

"It hasn't got anything to do with Beto, has it?" Jewel said, innocently. Sophia looked up sharply, and Jewel laughed. "He _loves_ you, Sophia. Anyone could see it." At Sophia's stare, Jewel rolled her eyes in amusement. "Haven't you noticed? He told me and Blu earlier, when you were helping Bia and Tiago with the lanterns! Everyone's talking about it." Someone then called to Jewel throughout the crowd. "Have fun, Sophia." Jewel said, before disappearing into the dance.

 _He loves me?_ This was unbelievable. Sophia could barely believe it - she loved him back. She had to find him - she wasn't sure where he had gone. She made her way around the edge, trying to spot him somewhere. Sophia's heart was lurching within her chest, as she remembered what had happened the last time she'd said she loved someone. Jacques had been acting shifty, but when she told him he had said the dreaded words: I don't love you. Now she knew Jespa was responsible for most of her boyfriends dumping her, Sophia was sure that Jacques had left her because of him.

But as Sophia passed a bush, claws latched into her shoulder. She gasped as she was hauled into the leaves, and thrown against the earth wall. She was pinned by the neck; Jespa's amber eyes bore into her own. "How dare you join in this nonsense." He snarled. "My mother has been dead for four days, and you're acting as though nothing happened!"

"You mean _our_ mother." Sophia corrected, bitterly. Jespa snorted in disbelief.

"You killed Andre, now her. Are you proud of yourself?"

"I _never_ killed Andre." Sophia hissed. "Zenaida was the one who pushed him, but you didn't see that happen. I was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time."

"Why did she feed me the same story? The same _lies?"_

"Hmm. Maybe you should stop to consider... oh, that's it, isn't it? Because it's the _truth!"_ Sophia raised her wings, seizing Jespa's, prizing them off her neck. She shoved Jespa into the bush. "You're going to stay away from me. You'll stay away from me, and you'll stay away from Roberto. You won't ruin this for me, like how you've ruined my other relationships." Sophia stormed past him, determined to find Roberto.

"You deserve to die alone." Jespa spat, behind her. "Maybe that day will be soon." Sophia stopped in her tracks. Slowly, she turned around.

"What are you implying?" She hissed. Jespa didn't utter a word. Disgusted by the very sight of him, Sophia ran out of the bush, her heart leaping into her throat. The band had now been joined by a male macaw.

"This is for all you lovers, out there..." he began, before starting to sing. Sophia pushed through the crowd, searching desperately, aware that Jespa wasn't far behind. She had to find Roberto, quickly - she didn't want Jespa with her. Relieved, she spotted him.

Roberto sat at the edge of the dance, wondering where Sophia was. She seemed to have vanished after the release of the lanterns. Several females had asked him to dance, but he had declined. He only wanted to dance with one, and that would have to be Sophia. But then, to his relief, she appeared out of the crowd. "Thank goodness. Can we dance?" She asked.

"Of course." Roberto said, leaping enthusiastically to his talons. Taking her outstretched wing, Roberto lead the way through the crowd to where most were dancing. They had never had a proper dance, except perhaps for their performance in the club. Once they were in a good spot, they finally joined both wings, and started a simple dance, spinning and ducking under a raised wing. But there seemed to be something on her mind, for her face was plagued by a frown. "What's wrong? Thinking about Zenaida?"

"Well... that's one thing. I just..." The worried look on Sophia's face seemed to melt away. "You know what? It doesn't matter. But I do have something to say. I've been thinking an awful lot. About..."

"About what?" He asked.

"About us." She replied. Their dance slowed down.

"Us?" Roberto repeated, pausing now. His heart increased it's pace.

"Yes. I'm just going to say that..." She paused, looking at something behind him. Roberto didn't have to turn, for he could feel Jespa's presence. He didn't look round, however. He didn't want this moment to spoil. Was she going to say what he thought she was? She bit her lower beak, still looking at Jespa. But then she shook her head, and looked straight at Roberto, with a steady gaze. "I love you." Sophia admitted.

Roberto's world tipped. It spun around him - the dancers blurred until all he saw clearly was Sophia. She looked petrified - fearful of what he would do or say. He knew it sounded cliche, but the joy he felt in that moment was not like any he had ever felt. Someone loved him, and that someone was the female he loved. What could he say in reply? But then the moment was broken. A harsh wing ripped his and Sophia's wings apart.

"Right, Sophia... you must have drunk one too many coconut waters." Jespa insisted. He grabbed her by the shoulder, and tried to pull her away. But Roberto narrowed his eyes, and then anger flared.

"Excuse me." He said. Roberto pulled Jespa's wing from Sophia, and before he knew what he was doing, he put his wing onto Jespa's chest, and shoved him away. Jespa went flying, straight onto the floor, hitting it with a gasp of shock. Several dancers paused, but then resumed, dancing into the gap between Jespa, and Roberto and Sophia, separating them. He turned back to Sophia, and raised one wing to touch her cheek. "I love you too, earth angel."

Sophia blinked rapidly. For a moment, they were just standing there. But it was Sophia who kissed him. She seemed reluctant at first, as if afraid he would walk away in disgust. But he didn't. He only kissed her back. It lasted for a few moments - when it ended, they were staring at one another in disbelief. "Did that really just happen?" Asked Sophia, in shock - but she was smiling.

"Get back here." Roberto laughed, kissing her again.


	23. A trap

Sunlight pooled across the floor of the hollow, pale and golden. It was a lovely morning - it wasn't too humid or hot, and the air had a pleasant coolness. The party had lasted for a few hours, and now, from fatigue, hardly anyone was up yet. Most of them were usually up before dawn, but not today.

From the nest, Roberto and Sophia gazed outside. They were both watching the sunrise - it seemed exceptionally beautiful. The sun was a honey-tinted gold, the sky rosy and amber, with the sound of birdsong filling the air. They watched the sun, Sophia tracing his wingtips with her own. The smile had not faded since last night - it was a wonderful mixture of being in love and seeing Jespa be humiliated on the dance floor. Finally, someone had stood up to him in front of everyone.

"So." Sophia said, breaking the silence. "Where do we go from here?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Roberto admitted. There seemed to be a hint of worry to his tone, and Sophia immediately guessed.

"We can't worry about Jespa." Sophia said, with a sigh. "I don't care whether he hates us. It's not up to him - this is _our_ future. We can't allow him to ruin us. I love you, and I don't want to lose you." She could hardly believe these words were coming out of her beak. It was like a dream. "I'm still gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you, though."

This reference to their song made Roberto laugh. He looked at her, with a grin. "I don't want to lose you, either. You're right - whatever he throws at us, we'll stick together." There was a pause. "I didn't offend you by pushing him onto the floor, did you?"

"He's not my brother, so how could I care?" Sophia asked. "He certainly doesn't act like it. Besides... after what happened next, I don't care." The kiss was so vivid in her mind - she knew she'd remember it for the rest of her life. She smiled with one side of her beak, reaching up to turn Roberto's face toward her with a wingtip. "Stop worrying about him. He's got to get used to the idea." She leaned forward, kissing him again. She drew away, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm guessing this roommate thing is no longer temporary?" Roberto asked, and Sophia rolled her eyes.

"You're stuck with me." She said, before, with a surge of energy, she leapt out of the nest, jolting him slightly. "Come on! It's way past waking time." Roberto yawned.

"Oh, yay... just a little longer? It's cozy."

"You sound just like a chick." Sophia laughed, taking his wing to help him up. She bounced energetically toward the entrance, a sleepy Roberto following. Hardly anyone was up - only a few sleepy macaws were outside their nests. Although, most of the chicks were up, since they had eventually been sent to bed before their parents. They flew around like comets, happy that their parents and families weren't keeping a protective eye on them. Sophia couldn't help but wonder if her own kids would be flying out there someday. "So, what do you feel like doing?" She asked.

"I don't know - what do you want to do?" The fatigue was finally gone. Roberto now looked bright and alert. "Breakfast?" He suggested. But then he stopped in his tracks. "Oh, no. Morning patrol." They were headed his way, looking groggy and tired - Carlos, Isabella, and Jacinta. Bruno, Isabella's son, was sitting in the feathers of his mother's back.

"You're late, Roberto!" Carlos laughed, half-heartedly, due to tiredness. Despite this, he and Isabella were glancing from Roberto to Sophia with happiness. Many of their friends had spotted them the dancefloor, since nobody had missed Jespa getting pushed over. Both Sophia and Roberto, for the first time, felt a little embarrassed at the public kiss.

"Hey, lovebirds." Isabella teased. "Bruno's tagging along - Toby's asleep and he wouldn't stop nagging me."

"I wasn't nagging!" Bruno protested. "I just wanted to go on patrol. I know I'm too young, but dad's asleep and I'm bored."

"Okay, okay." Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we're already late! Sophia, feel free to join the patrol." Jacinta said, sharply. The older female was rather like Zenaida - no-nonsense, stern and always on a tight schedule. As the morning patrol went to go, Roberto turned to Sophia, apologetic.

"Sorry we can't have some time to ourselves."

"Don't worry, I can tag along. I might see Azalea." Sophia assured him, with positivity. Roberto smiled at her, before they followed the patrol together. A few moments after, another blue shape followed, unnoticed.

 _Later_

Roberto flew with Sophia - they kept falling back a few feet, for they kept talking. Talking about memories, funny stories - and, in undertones so the others wouldn't hear, Jespa and the plastic ring under the feathers of Roberto's leg. He knew Sophia was still in shock over his story - he was the last bird she'd expect to have suffered so much, losing his whole family and almost dying in captivity. They had passed the construction of the Spix's Wing - word was that it was a few weeks from completion. Was it possible that the burden Roberto had literally carried for nineteen years was soon going be no more than a memory?

"Hey! Keep up!" Jacinta barked, over her shoulder. Beginning to get annoyed, Roberto and Sophia increased their speed. Ahead, Bruno was chattering away to Isabella about medical herbs, since it was something that took his interest. Isabella and Tobias had both once been apprentice healers, but had given up, realizing it wasn't right for them. They had still acquired some skills, something that they had passed onto Bruno.

"-the lilac berries induce sleep, kapok bark is good for headaches, and unguruhai leaves are good for -"

"He does go on a bit, Isabella." Carlos said, with amusement.

"Oh, you're just jealous." Isabella chuckled. They were along the Red and Hyacinth border, now. At this point, they usually stopped for a break, which they did. Jacinta landed on a branch, with a huff. "Jacinta, are you sure you should be out on patrol?" Isabella asked, gently. "You keep complaining about your aching joints, and flying out here won't be doing much for it." As the older female began to protest, a red form emerged from a branch.

"Hey!" Azalea greeted, brightly. Roberto smiled at the look of delight on Sophia's face, as she rushed to meet the Scarlet macaw, pulling her friend into a hug. "Where have you been? It's been a while!" Azalea hadn't heard of the recent events, of course. Sophia sighed, knowing she'd have to explain the business with Zenaida. After a few minutes, Roberto retreated into his thoughts, for Sophia and Azalea were talking, Carlos was peeling a fruit, Bruno chasing a butterfly, and Isabella advising Jacinta over her joints.

It was that moment that a distant snapping distracted him. Roberto looked up, seeing the leaves rustling. He frowned, glancing at the others - but they hadn't noticed. Curiosity driving him, Roberto slipped away in silence, knowing that he needn't alert them. He wouldn't take a minute.

As the leaves closed behind him, Roberto thought that there was nothing. The rustling and snapping was probably just the wind. But as he turned to go, something dark caught his eye. A long, dark blue feather. He stiffened, and rushed to it, plucking it up. A shiver ran down his spine as he recognized it. _Hyacinth._ The deadliest tribe in the Amazon. Their deranged leader, Kerja, had a grudge against Eduardo, since he had accidentally killed her father, Jorge, in a battle years ago. Jorge had been about to kill him - it was kill Jorge or die. Kerja thought it was out of malice, but it wasn't true. She reminded him of Jespa.

But this was bad. Hyacinths rarely appeared unless they were causing trouble, but to see one of their feathers in his tribe's territory was intimidating and dangerous. But as he went to turn back, to alert the patrol, another feather caught his attention. That feather was followed by another - anger shot through him, and he went for that feather too. More and more feathers appeared, snagged in branches and caught in leaves and thorns. But as he put more distance between himself and the patrol, it dawned upon him.

It was a strange coincidence. It was unusual for a Hyacinth to moult this much, in almost equal distances - to make things even stranger, they were different sizes, shades and conditions. Some were more dull or ragged than others, or darker than others. Were they in a group? But then a memory turned in his mind, making him pause.

When he was young, a little younger than a teenager, Roberto had followed a similar trail of red feathers. They had lead him to the Brazil nut grove border, where he had been confronted by a hostile Felipe. They had fought, which had caused their rift - now that they were friends, Felipe had apologized, explaining that his father, Rojo, had told him to do it. Felipe had taken red feathers and lured him to the border. _Lured._ Roberto was being lured into a trap.

How had he not seen it? Feathers in an orderly line, a few metres apart, taking him further away from the protection of his companions. Of course the Hyacinths hadn't been here. Somebody had _collected_ moulted Hyacinth feathers. They had been _planted_ here.

But then something ragged and blue shot toward him - it crashed into his chest, driving the breath out of him. Jespa's face loomed in his. "Hasta la vista." He snarled, before diving into some leaves. But then something enormous exploded out of the trees, from where Jespa had appeared. It had menacing amber eyes, the colour of Jespa's. It was twice the size of a Hyacinth, with slate-grey plumage and talons that could strangle the life out of him in a second. It's claws glistened like polished bones, outstretched - it's beady eyes fixed on him as it lost sight of Jespa, and its beak stretched open to let out a piercing cry.

A Harpy eagle. The deadliest predator known to macaws. And Jespa had lead it straight to him.


	24. Attempted murder

Roberto let out a blood-curdling squawk of terror, remembering the horror stories. Many older siblings enjoyed frightening their little brothers and sisters with tales of viscous eagles, and his own sister had done the same. Only the other day had Felipe told Roberto about one such eagle attacking him and Azalea's deceased cousin, Adelaide, when they were young.

Roberto couldn't believe it. It was like a nightmare. His future brother-in-law was trying to kill him. _Jespa_ had planted the trail of feathers to lure him away from the others. Jespa had lured him into a death trap.

The eagle's eyes glinted with satisfaction as it flew for it's new target, since it's original one had vanished. So shocked, Roberto couldn't react fast enough - he was then thrust into reality at the feeling of barb-like claws hooking onto his wing. Roberto shrieked as the eagle threw him at the nearest tree trunk. He scrambled desperately to his feet, whirling around and diving into the trees. He knew from the sound of eagle cries and beating wings that it was right behind him - claws lashed at his tail, skimming the ends. Never had he felt this terrified.

Sophia gasped as Roberto came flying out of a tree, his eyes blazing with panic and terror. "Fly for it!" He screeched; then they knew why. A Harpy eagle came crashing after him, and before the others could hide, it spotted them too, and it's eyes blazed with hungry delight as it took in the choice of prey. Sophia's immediate thought was little Bruno - he had frozen, brown eyes wide with terror as he saw the huge grey bird. With a shriek of fear, Isabella plucked him from the air, and without hesitation, dived behind the tree trunk. Azalea seized Sophia, shoving her into some branches - the sharp twigs scraped into her skin, and she felt it tear.

"Azalea -" she protested, but she knew there was the reason behind Azalea's frenzy. She had heard the story of an eagle attack on Felipe and Adelaide. Azalea dived into the branches as well, where she pressed against Sophia, shaking with fright.

Carlos leapt into action, squawking bravely and launching himself at the eagle's head - but the battle cry turned to a cry of agony as the eagle's beak talons slashed upon his wing, before tossing him brutally to the side. Carlos smacked into a branch, before he began to hurtle through space. But his claws snagged a branch below, intercepting his fall, where he lay there, stunned. Meanwhile, Jacinta attempted to flee, but gasped, her wing pressed against her spine. Her advanced age did not allow her to move fast.

The eagle, spotting the weak one, hissed. It tore toward the elderly female, but Roberto came hurtling through the air, attacking the eagle from behind. Distracted from Jacinta, the eagle focused on it's original prey. Azalea, to Sophia's surprise, ran to help Jacinta. She pulled Jacinta's wing over her shoulder, and dragged her toward the safety of a leafy branch, to conceal her. Sophia looked at the tree trunk, but Isabella and Bruno had vanished. But then she heard Roberto shriek.

She spun round, and was horrified by what she saw. The eagle had twisted it's head, hooking the curved beak into Roberto's shoulder. He cried out, as the eagle tossed him at a tree trunk, in a similar force as it had done to Carlos. Roberto slumped down the trunk, clinging onto his shoulder, gasping as his wing came away crimson. The eagle landed on the branch, making it shudder. It advanced upon Roberto, hissing as it did, the taste of his blood making it's hungry eyes feverish and frenzied. Roberto stared up at it, and, with no other option, held up his wings to try and shield his face. Sophia was briefly frozen, but then the urge to protect the bird she loved kicked in. A threatening hiss came from her beak, and, with bushed feathers, she rose her wings.

"Sophia, no!" Azalea cried, in protest. Too late. Sophia launched herself at the eagle, claws sinking into the bulk of it's back. Her talons found powerful muscles - this eagle was healthy, and based by the size, female. Healthy eagles were more deadly, and female ones were larger and more powerful. _I'm in trouble._ The eagle recoiled from Roberto, who was still clinging onto his shoulder, still in shock.

The eagle swung it's head violently, making Sophia flail up and down, her talons in it's back the only thing preventing her from being thrown away. She sank her beak into the crest of feathers in it's head, ripping out a large amount. The eagle screeched, and then it took flight. She hoped it was to flee, but she was wrong. The eagle floundered around in the air, trying to shake her loose, it's talons searching for her. She couldn't do this by herself - her claws were loosening, and she was lurching dangerously.

"Get out of here, you bully!" Carlos, flying oddly with his wing, finally recovered. He latched his claws into the eagle's wing, and then the eagle was under seige by a third macaw, for Azalea was now lashing out at it's tail, catching the skin of it's lower back. In the corner of Sophia's eye, she caught a glimpse of Isabella holding a piece of moss to Roberto's shoulder, to halt the bleeding, but he was trying to push her away, attempting to help the others. Sophia froze; where was Bruno?

But then she saw him. Cowering behind a young female, while three others headed for the Harpy eagle, squawking. Isabella must have sent him to get help. The eagle's grey plumage was now invisible under a writhing mass of blue, and a flash of red from Azalea. For a second, Sophia thought it was going to fight, but then it was no longer fighting back. The eagle, realizing that it was no match for more macaws, turned, and fled, shaking off it's attackers. Sophia let go, and hovered with the others, trying to catch her breath. Her heart pounded with the adrenaline and fear of what had just happened.

Then she remembered Roberto. Sophia rushed to his side, looking frantically at Isabella, where she was holding moss over his injury. Roberto slouched, in a daze. Isabella's attention was pulled away as Bruno came rushing from behind the female, wings outstretched to get to his mother. Sophia held the sides of his face, turning it upwards. "Eyes on me." She said, firmly, and at the sound of her voice, he looked up with dazed eyes.

By now, the others had recovered. Isabella was now hugging Bruno to her chest, forgetting the injury, but that was understandable. Sophia held the moss to his shoulder instead, risking taking a look. She was relieved to see that it wasn't too deep, and the blood was no longer running out of the wound. Jacinta, rubbing her spine, was watching cautiously for the eagle in case it came back, while Carlos was examining his wing, wincing, one of the patrol members trying to see what was wrong with it.

"What happened?" Asked Azalea, in a shaken voice. All eyes turned to Roberto. His pained expression was fixed on Sophia.

"Jespa." He rasped. She blinked, not understanding.

"What?" She asked.

"Jespa lead the eagle to me." Roberto said, eyes closing. Horrified gasps sounded from behind Sophia - it took a few moments for it to sink in, and then overwhelming horror washed over her, making her feel sick. She swayed violently, and she felt Azalea's wings supporting her. _My own brother. He tried to kill him._

 _Later_

Roberto flinched as Mateo applied the plant poultlice to his wound. Sophia, clutching onto his wing, looked ridden with guilt - so many times had she apologized to him, and no matter how much he told her it wasn't her fault, Sophia felt guilty. They were in Eduardo's tree - the patriarch was pacing up and down, muttering curses under his breath, while Mimi stood to the side with a face like thunder. The morning patrol members, and other witnesses, were also present - the patrol Bruno had fetched, and Azalea. Since Bruno was too young for this serious matter, he was in his father's care. The poor chick was traumatized.

It had been a few hours since the attack. Dozens of patrols had been sent out to hunt Jespa down, and bring him back to the ravine so he could be brought to justice. There was no excuse this time. It wasn't an accident - Jespa had attempted to murder Roberto, just to hurt Sophia. The news had spread like wildfire, and it had not gone down well.

Roberto had told Eduardo every detail. How he had been lured away by a trail of planted Hyacinth feathers, how Jespa had appeared, a Harpy eagle chasing him - then Jespa had fled, leaving Roberto to fend for himself. How that same eagle had endangered the lives of Carlos, older and vulnerable Jacinta, a mother and chick, and, to make things even worse, the matriarch of another tribe. If something had happened to Azalea, for all they knew, Felipe would have declared war after peace had been achieved.

There was no question of what was going to happen to Jespa. This madness had to end.

"We've found him." Jewel said, grimly, appearing in the entrance. She had been the first to lead out a search party, and since seizing a criminal wasn't Blu's scene, he had kept the kids busy. But now, Roberto was certain they would be watching. Behind Jewel, Jespa's grunts and struggles were heard, and the hisses of other macaws - a large audience had gathered outside, and many were booing and jeering. Attempted murder was not tolerated.


	25. Crime and punishment

Roberto stood behind the witnesses, unable to look at Jespa. Sophia still kept hold of his wing, shaking slightly. She was feeling completely and utterly betrayed. Her one remaining family member was now her worst enemy. Jespa had put himself in danger to destroy her happiness - he would put his own life at risk just to do that.

Finally, Roberto forced himself to look at him. Jespa was on a tall, flat-topped rock column a few metres from Eduardo's tree, where every disgraced tribe member was taken before punishment. It had rarely been used since Eduardo had become leader - and that had been over thirty years ago. Since he was trying to escape, Jespa was held between Tobias and Manuela to stop him from leaving. Tobias's and Manuela's claws sank deeply into Jespa's wings, their eyes blazing with disgust and rage. Isabella and Bruno were Tobias's family, and Carlos was Manuela's mate. No wonder they wanted to be the ones to keep hold of him.

Jespa had put up quite a fight. Some of the patrol who had found him were marked by cuts and bruises, but luckily, Jespa bore more marks then they did. There was a heavy, swollen cut sitting above his left eye, which Jewel had proudly declared to be of her work. His other eye was black, and numerous claw marks gouged his sides, chest and stomach - one in his neck looked very serious, as shown by the large crimson stain that was even expanding as Roberto watched. And Roberto knew an artery ran near there. Another few centimetres to the left, and the artery could have been severed. Jespa was breathing heavily, as if he had flown a mile.

Jespa could have killed innocent birds, but he could have also broken many hearts. The impact on Tobias and Manuela would be devastating, and Manuela had a son too - Augustus would have lost a father. Jacinta was mother to a large family, and Azalea was a tribe matriarch. The aftershock of any of their deaths would be heartbreaking, and Sophia would have been broken. She would never allow herself to fall in love again if something had happened to Roberto.

The trial shell was called. It was large, ancient, and had many cracks - it was older than Eduardo and Mimi. The macaw who had blown into it actually started coughing, waving his wing to rid of the dust. This shell was used to call for silence during a scenario like this; a trial of sort. The tribe - every single member had gathered - immediately fell silent. All eyes turned to the tribe patriarch and advisor.

"Jespa. The accusation is attempted murder of Roberto, and the evidence is too overwhelming to be questioned." Mimi's voice echoed around the ravine. At the top of the cliffs, Roberto saw a few non-Spix birds peering over, in curiosity. Now the whole rainforest would know, of the insane murderer named Jespa. News spread everywhere in the Amazon - almost everyone would know who Jespa was, and know to avoid him. He wouldn't have a friend in the world - not that he even had any now, though. "You, in your treacherous actions, tried to kill a respected member of our tribe who has never done anything to offend you. Why?"

Jespa kept his beak clamped shut. Sophia pressed against Roberto, and he knew exactly what she was thinking: what if Jespa told the tribe his twisted version of what had really happened, the night Andre died? He would paint a false picture of Sophia, and even if the tribe knew the whole truth, Zenaida's name would be disgraced. It was Zenaida who pushed Andre, but the tribe would always assume the worst. They'd never think she regretted it. Mimi turned to Eduardo, and stepped back to let her brother speak. Eduardo stepped forward; he tried to keep his serenity, but it ran away. His face went red.

"You purposely provoked a Harpy eagle, risking getting caught yourself just to harm Roberto. Prior, you trespassed on Kerja's territory to retrieve some Hyacinth feathers, which in itself is a very dangerous matter!" Eduardo shouted. "Do you realize what Kerja may do, if she discovers that one of us has trespassed on her territory? After years, we have reached a... a _temporary_ truce, but who knows how long that'll last? If she finds out that you've been over there, she will want blood." The tribe hissed at this statement - Jespa had endangered them all.

"What will you do? Drag me over there and hand me over?" Jespa sneered, unafraid of feeling the wrath of Eduardo's anger.

"Silence!" Eduardo roared. "Furthermore, you not only dangered Roberto. You endangered the lives of Carlos and Jacinta, Isabella, and Bruno - an innocent chick. To make things even worse, you nearly killed your own sister! _And_ a tribe matriarch!" Azalea's white skin turned as scarlet as her plumage, and she ducked her head as eyes turned to the small splash of crimson against the blue residents. Mimi spoke next.

"What if Felipe had declared war? It's taken nineteen years for us to achieve peace, and you've jeopardized that!"

Azalea winced. "I'm sure Felipe wouldn't..." She whispered to Sophia.

"So. Before I give you what you deserve, you will tell me why you did this. Why did you try to kill Roberto?" Eduardo demanded. Many tortuous moments passed, but Jespa didn't speak. "Really? You're not going to tell us why?" Disgust shone within Eduardo's icy green eyes. "Very well. You're clearly insane - you're a danger to everybody here. You vandalized your own father's marker, frightened the life out of countless chicks - including my own grandson." Roberto tried to spot him, but Tiago was barely visible, from where he was standing - hiding - between his two sisters. "I thought we could deal with a maniac within our ranks. But I was clearly wrong." Eduardo shook his head.

"Very wrong." Muttered Carlos. Jespa was shaking with rage, at the way Eduardo was speaking to him. The tribe held it's breath.

"Jespa, I declare your fate now. Perhaps we should kill you, like how my predecessor used to deal with traitors - but I'm not that kind of leader. I have mercy." Sophia glanced at Roberto, eyes wide, as they waited for Eduardo to continue. "I now decree that you are no longer a member of this tribe. You will live out the rest of your days in _exile."_ There was a sharp draw in of breath from Sophia, and shocked murmuring throughout the crowd. Roberto swore he heard someone whisper 'brilliant'. Some murmurs were of discontent; some thought Jespa deserved to be killed for his crime.

Jespa stared at Eduardo, in surprise. Roberto couldn't believe he had the audacity to think Eduardo would let him stay. "What?"

"You heard me. You are banished, and must leave the ravine at once. You may travel throughout the territory tonight, but after sunrise, if you are found within our borders, or anywhere else in the sanctuary for that matter, patrols have my permission to kill you."

The tribe was in utter silence. But nobody protested. Mimi motioned to some macaws to the left. "Take him away. Our ravine has no place for traitors." With that, Jespa was dragged off the column, toward the ravine entrance. The crowd began to cheer.

"Sophia!" He barked, in outrage. "Tell Eduardo of my innocence. I'm your brother."

"You..." Sophia raised a wing, pointing. A tear ran down her face, and she clutched onto Roberto's wing even tighter. "You never have... and never will be... my brother."

"Traitor!" Jespa roared, in fury. Sophia flinched, and turned her face into Roberto's unwounded shoulder - he knew she was sobbing in silence. He wrapped a comforting wing around her, his eyes unafraid as he watched Jespa.

"Get him out of here!" Eduardo shouted, waving his wing. Jespa's restrainers handled him with more force, to get him away - but he surged against them, half-freeing himself.

"Get your filthy talons off! I will leave with dignity." He spat. There was a moment of hesitation, but then the macaws retreated, leaving him. Jespa turned to go, but then he looked back, with slitted eyes. "You haven't seen the last of me, sister. I will make you pay dearly for everything you've done to me. And _you_ -" he hissed, poisonously, his scorching eyes freezing Roberto. "You'd better keep your eyes open. Keep your ears pricked. Keep looking behind you. Because one day soon, I will find you. There's isn't one place in this rainforest you can hide!"

Jespa then spun round, and in the blink of an eye, was gone.


	26. The madness of Jespa

Sophia lay in a patch of sun, eyes closed. She was laying on one of the branches of Roberto's - well, _their -_ nest. It felt weird, to call this tree her own. The sun was lovely and warm, not too hot, the air pleasant. She didn't usually take time to sunbathe - she had tried to before, but Jespa would frequently disturb and annoy her, so she had given up. Now she could stop and lie in the sun for as long as she liked, without irritance.

It had been a few days since Jespa had been exiled. Now everyone knew about the murderous maniac in the forest. All the tribes had been notified, told not to give Jespa shelter - they had Eduardo's permission to attack him on sight, or kill him. Sophia had been apart of the patrol to notify the Hyacinths. They hadn't mentioned the feather trail, of course. They had just told the pair of Hyacinths that there was a banished Spix's macaw named Jespa out there, and that they could attack or kill him. The Hyacinths had rubbed their wings with glee, telling them that indeed they would oblige to Eduardo's instructions. Kerja's Hyacinths loved a bit of violence.

She should be glad that Jespa was gone - he had tried to kill Roberto. She should wish him dead. But there was that part of her that didn't want him to be killed, since he was her brother. But she wanted him dead at the same time; she - and Roberto - couldn't leave the ravine alone. It was too dangerous.

Sophia had been suffering from sleepless nights. Whenever she did get some sleep, she found herself plagued by nightmares of Jespa. Jespa, and a cliff - she kept dreaming of him pushing her off the top, but she couldn't fly. Her wings wouldn't open, and then just before she hit the ground, she would be shaken awake by Roberto, who had frantically told her that she had been screaming.

Roberto was so worried about her. The nightmares were unsettling enough, but Sophia was always looking behind her, expecting Jespa to leap out. Roberto wasn't the only one who was worried. Eduardo had stationed guards at the ravine entrance and around the top of the cliffs, and patrols were frequently being sent out to look for signs of him. Jespa hadn't been seen since his disappearance - he was heavily wounded, so he was vulnerable... _Stop worrying about his condition! He wants to kill you._

"Hey. Why so blue?" A flower appeared, hovering above her head. Rolling her eyes, Sophia sat up, looking up.

"Because my species is that colour." She said, trying her best to sound cheerful. Unfortunately, Roberto clearly saw through the fake happiness. He dropped onto the branch, with the now-familiar frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked, putting the flower aside.

"I... it's nothing." Sophia tried to lie, but then she gave up when she saw the unconvinced look on Roberto's face. "Fine. I'm just thinking about Jespa." Roberto rolled his eyes, and sighed.

"Oh, Soph. We've talked about this - don't worry about him. He's never coming back." Sophia couldn't believe how confident he sounded. Did he truly think Jespa was gone for good? Maybe he was - heavily wounded, and hated and scorned by everyone in the sanctuary? Surely he wasn't stupid enough to return. Then why did she feel constantly watched? Roberto went to sit down, but then Mimi flew past.

"Roberto, Eduardo wants to talk to you!" She said, cheerfully. Roberto sighed, glancing at Sophia apologetically.

"I'll have to see you later, then." Roberto left her with a kiss, before flying away. "Don't worry!" He said, over his shoulder. "You won't see him again!"

"I wish I could believe you." Sophia said, to herself, as Roberto flew for Eduardo's tree. She sat there, watching the chicks playing on the waterlilies. She sighed slightly. _Am I getting broody?_ That question had been on her mind for a while, now.

But then, all of a sudden, there was a great commotion in the entrance. A multi-coloured comet came streaking in, looking flustered. Sophia knew the unusual plumage anywhere, and leapt to her talons as she recognized Victoria. The hybrid attracted many curious stares; she looked so unusual to them.

"Sophia! You've got to see something!" Victoria's terrified gaze found Sophia. "It's a catastrophe! Oh, the absolute horror!" Victoria made it seem as though the apocalypse had taken place. She was so upset, in a fit of anger, horror, and distress - she had a series of colourful stains across her feathers, and her feathers were on end. Sophia, alarmed, raised her wings.

"Ssh! You're terrifying everyone..." She looked around, where Victoria's distress was attracting countless looks. "Okay. Calm down - what's happened?"

 _Later_

"Oh." Said Sophia, staring around the tree. "I see." Now she saw that Vicky wasn't over-reacting. Anything like this would petrify her.

The club was a disaster zone. The door had been pulled off, and it lay to the side like a dead animal. Inside was a thousand times worse. The stage was reduced to a pile of debris, for somebody had pulled the branches keeping it together apart. Dead, mouldy leaves littered the floor, with rotting fruit lying all over the place. Coconuts lay in pieces like broken eggshells, with sharp thorns snaking along here and there. The rotting fruit had also been tossed against the wall - brown fruit stained the wood, and pieces of it had slithered down, coming to rest on the floor. Ragged lines were carved into the walls, resembling claws - obviously, something sharp had been ripped across the wood, purposely done to resemble claws.

Victoria was sobbing. "He was like a bird possessed. I was just sitting in here on my own, and then the door was ripped off! Then he came in, and-"

"Wait, who?" Sophia asked.

"Who do you think?!" Victoria brandished a scraggly blue feather in her face. "Your maniac of a brother! He tried to kill me!" She dropped the feather in disgust. "I went to see what the heck was going on, and then he came slashing at me with a sharp piece of wood! I was so terrified, I ran into the backstage and hid myself. He came looking, but he didn't find me. I was too petrified to come out - I was hiding there for hours! He came here at dawn, and he only left an hour ago, after he'd stopped trashing the place!"

"Vicky... surely you've made some mistake..."

"Mistake?" Victoria cried. "I know your brother when I see him! He's got the creepy eyes and that terrifying voice! And he's as ugly as -" Sophia winced at the series of insults and curses that came out of Victoria's beak. She finally stopped, and began kicking viciously at some melon. "Do you know how long this will take to clean up? And what if he comes back at night? He might go on a killing frenzy, if there's loads of clubbers here!"

Sophia stood, utterly stunned, as Victoria began to try and clean up. "-I came out, and fell in this muck - look at my feathers!"

 _Jespa's targeting my friends now._ If he couldn't get her or Roberto, he was going to target those he could access. Victoria, the other clubbers... what about Azalea? Jespa knew she was her best friend. Her heart lurched - for all she knew, he was searching for her right now. _I have to warn her. I have to tell the tribe that he's targeting innocent birds! He'll never stop!_

"Hey! Where are you going? You can't just leave me here!" Victoria shouted, as Sophia raced away.

"Find your mate - he and the Blue-and-Golds will protect you. I have to warn everyone!" Sophia cried, hastily.

"What about this mess? I can't clean it up on my own!" Victoria protested, but Sophia ignored her. She was already flying away, desperate to get back. The sky was darkening, and she knew it wasn't safe - especially not for her.

Just as this thought dawned upon her, talons snagged onto her, as sharp as thorns. She was plucked from the air like a fly, and then pain tore through her shoulders as the claws broke into her skin. She was thrown onto the forest floor, with a jolt. She let out a piercing shriek, but it was smothered by feathers. "Shut - _up."_ Jespa hissed, in annoyance. His talons fastened around her neck. "You're scream is enough to shatter glass."

"Get off!" Sophia's voice was muffled by Jespa's wing. She shoved against her brother, but his weight didn't shift. She could almost gag - his feathers were filthy, and he smelled foul. He was splotched with mud, blood and dirt, and his feathers were a mess. His eyes were as malicious as before, but the left one was smaller than usual. It was then that Sophia noticed the swollen wound above his eye - she remembered how Jewel had been the one to deliver the wound. But now, it was dark and festering, the sickly green edges making Sophia's stomach turn. It was weeping, clearly infected, as were the majority of his other wounds. Jespa always scratched at scabs and wounds; he was already marked by small scars, but now he had given himself half a dozen more.

"Keep your beak shut - we're going on a little trip. Make the most of the sky while we travel, because it's the last time you'll ever see it." Jespa then hauled her to her feet, and began dragging her. Sophia struggled violently against Jespa, but his iron grip imprisoned her. "I've had enough. I've wasted nineteen years waiting, and now I've had it! You're dying tonight!"

"Where are we going?" She asked, terrified. Terror ripped through Sophia, and then she knew she had no other choice. She couldn't break free, so she made as much noise as possible - she screamed through his feathers, shrieked like a bird possessed. Even though her voice was smothered by his wing, she had no other option.

But her cries didn't fall on deaf ears. Victoria had begun to follow Sophia, to try and tell her that she couldn't clean up the ruined club alone. But when she heard her shrieks, Victoria ran. But the moment she saw her friend struggling in the wings of the bird who had ransacked the club and tried to kill Victoria herself, the Catalina froze.

Sophia saw Victoria, but didn't dare bring attention to her. She stared at Victoria with pleading eyes, knowing what Jespa would do if he saw her. "At least tell me where we're going!" Sophia pleaded, her eyes fixed on the Catalina macaw, knowing this was her only chance. Jespa let out an irritated snarl.

"The best place to hide a body." He spat. "The northeast cave. In other words, your burial site." Sophia's eyes widened; she continued to struggle, and now Jespa was getting angry. Victoria had no other choice. She whirled around, and fled for the ravine, knowing exactly who she needed to find - she didn't see Jespa throw his sister head-first into a boulder. Sophia's eyes rolled up in their sockets - then she crumpled forward, face-first into a mud puddle.

Jespa hissed in annoyance. "Pathetic." Grabbing Sophia by the tail, Jespa dragged her through the mud, pulling his unconscious sibling in the direction of the cave.


	27. Racing against time

Roberto sat on the side of the hollow, trying to look interested in Eduardo's meeting. It was a typical tribe update one - where Eduardo droned on about borders and patrol criticisms, as well as other things. As much a friend as Eduardo was to Roberto, he had to admit that the older macaw could be incredibly boring. "-the annual leader gathering is coming up, so I'll need a few macaws to escort me. All the patriarchs and matriarchs will be discussing human and predator activity -"

"How long is this meeting supposed to go on for?" Whispered Tobias to Roberto, stifling a yawn. Roberto was about to reply, but then a shout knocked him awake, out of his boredom.

"Help! Help!" Cried a petrified voice. Everyone in the hollow turned around, blinking at the entrance. Morgana got up, poking her head outside to locate the source of the shout. She looked at them all, frowning.

"A colourful macaw just came in." Morgana reported. "Oh, she's the one who came here earlier, isn't she? She left with Sophia earlier."

"What?" Roberto asked, head whipping up - he had never seen that. He pushed past, and, his suspicions confirmed, spotted Victoria. The Catalina looked scared to death - the skin on her face was white, her green eyes wide. She looked close to tears.

"I need help! Where's Roberto?" She shouted. Several puzzled macaws pointed to Eduardo's tree, but Roberto was already on his way. He shot toward her - then he realized that Sophia wasn't with her.

"Victoria? What's going on?" He asked, as he slowed to a hover. "Where's -"

"She's gone!" Vicky wailed, in distraught. "He sabotaged the club, and when she left to warn everyone he ambushed her!" Roberto blinked, confused - then the terrible realization dawned upon him.

"Jespa?" Roberto gasped, in shock. The onlookers - all eyes were on the bizarre splotch of colour that was Victoria - let out horrified cries. They had heard it.

"Yes!" Victoria answered. "He was dragging her away, telling her it was her last day alive and stuff like that - I wanted to help, but Sophia wouldn't let me! But I heard him say - he's taking her to the northeast cave! Oh, it's too much! I'm going to pass out..."

"Are you certain of this?" Demanded Eduardo, from where he had flown out to investigate. At Victoria's shaky nod, Eduardo whirled around. "Our scoremarker is in mortal danger! We must go and stop Jespa before he does anything to her!"

"I'll go!" Manuela volunteered, against Carlos's protests. "I don't care - he nearly killed you, I'm going."

"I'll go too!"

"We'll fight!"

"Count me in!" Dozens of macaws rose their voices. Eduardo turned to Roberto, expecting him to lead the rescue party. But to his shock, Roberto had vanished.

"Roberto?" Eduardo looked around, realizing that he was nowhere - then he saw a blue tail disappearing over the cliff edge. Everybody gasped in horror, immediately clocking it - Roberto was going to the cave.

"He can't go on his own!" Shouted Mimi. "It's too dangerous!"

"We need to catch up with him!" Eduardo boomed. "Miss, which cave did you say it -" Eduardo turned to Victoria, but to his surprise, she was instead being supported by two macaws - she had fainted. "For goodness sake! Who heard which cave it was?"

 _Meanwhile_

Sophia groaned, feeling her head. The last thing she remembered was a boulder, and being thrown straight into it. Stars had dazzled her vision, blinding her briefly - then everything had blinked out. Everything after that was black.

She tried to make sense of her surroundings, but the throbbing of her brain stopped her from thinking straight. Blinking several times, the fog in her head cleared a bit. Sophia was laying on a stone floor, the cold of it seeping into her bones, making them stiff. It was freezing - a cold draft chilled her feathers, and she found herself shivering from a mixture of cold and fear. She was completely surrounded by rock - it formed the ceiling, the walls. It was dark, and she knew she must be in the very back of the cave. Stalactites and stalactmites stretched from the ceiling and the floor, and the eerie sound of dripping water filled her ears. _I shouldn't be here._

Struggling to sit up, Sophia leaned back, her wings dropping to support herself - but to her shock, her wings didn't touch the stone. She fell backwards, her upper spine jolting as her lower back touched the ragged edge of rock. She turned her head, to see - but then she let out a terrified shriek as she saw the black, swirling water at least fifteen foot below, realized that she was perched on the edge of a cliff. A series of bones gathered at the edges, clinging onto the rocks. She couldn't tell how deep the water was, but she had a feeling it was more than deep enough to drown in.

Sophia hastily scrambled away from the edge, desperate to get as far away from it as possible - but then she realized she couldn't, for her left foot was tied to a boulder. The vine wrapped around the whole rock, tying with a series of knots. It was very long, tangled with lots of leaves and other thinner vines. Sophia pulled at the vine, but it was firmly tied. Panic surging through her, Sophia looked around frantically, trying to find something to cut it with. Why was she tied to a boulder, so close to a cliff? _Jespa._

"I was starting to think a stupid boulder had killed you." Said a voice. Sophia froze, and didn't dare look up. She didn't want to see his vile face. "So soft. So _weak."_

"If you're going to kill me, just be done with it." She said, through a gritted beak.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm definitely going to kill you. Just not yet." Jespa hissed, and she heard his footsteps. "I'm just going to make your last few hours a misery. At the end of those hours, I'll push that boulder, and you'll go falling into that water below. Falling, just like how dad did." Sophia stiffened. "You see, Sophia - the pain you're about to feel is nothing compared to the agony I feel, just seeing your vile face."

"Welcome to my world." Sophia retorted, finally looking up. She had to delay him for a long as she could. "That's how I feel, seeing you. You make me sick." She narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of faces, Jespa - have you seen yours lately? That wound over your eye is getting a little infected."

"Don't try to stall me. You're just clinging onto the hope of rescue."

"Seriously, it's a little puffy and the colour's kind of..."

"That boyfriend of yours won't save you. He has no idea I've got you. No-one does. However, he'll know before he dies." Sophia froze. Jespa grinned, knowing he had struck a nerve. "After I kill you, I'll pay him a little visit, and then I'll slit his throat. I'll hunt down everyone you love - your precious friends, that hybrid and that Scarlet macaw. Then I'll finally be at peace. Andre will be avenged!"

"I didn't kill him on purpose!" Sophia screamed. "Zenaida pushed him, and he tripped over me! Get it though your thick skull!" Her wings were blocking Jespa's view of her tethered leg. Behind her wings, she was scratching at the vine with a shard of rock. She needed to stall him for a little longer. She looked desperately at the tunnel, praying that some miracle would save her. Had Victoria heard where Jespa was taking her? She looked back at Jespa. "You won't touch my friends - or Roberto! He's so much stronger than you. In here!" She pointed to her chest. "His heart will always be stronger. No matter how strong you are, brother, he will always be a better macaw than you!

"You're wrong!" Jespa snarled.

"I'm not, though, and you know it!" Sophia retorted, hacking at the vine faster. It was starting to break. "He's not the only one. Victoria, Azalea, and all my friends are stronger than you. And so am I! You know why, Jespa? Because you're pathetic! You're insane, and too stupid to admit it!"

Jespa lost it. He shrieked, and leapt at her - but Sophia rolled, dodging him, and he smacked into the boulder instead. The vine was broken. Jespa whirled around, in shock. "What -"

"Didn't see that coming, did you?" Sophia said, mockingly. Jespa roared in fury, and leapt again - this time, Sophia sprang up to meet him. This was it - Jespa's hatred had boiled down to this. This was going to be the fight of her life - and only one of them were coming out alive. But then Sophia felt his talons strike, and she buckled. Suddenly, she realized how slim her chances of survival were.


	28. For always

Roberto raced through the rainforest, terrified of what he would find when he got to the cave. _What if I'm already too late? I might never see Sophia again!_ His head and his heart was everywhere. His heart in pieces already, his head filled with terrifying images of Sophia, in a pool of blood. His own blood went cold when he pictured Jespa standing over her corpse, laughing in triumph. _I've failed her! I promised to keep her safe from him._

Roberto's body screamed for him to slow down, and he felt the exhaustion creeping in. No matter how much his brain urged him to fly faster, he was slowing down with a mixture of fatigue and despair. _I've let her down. I'll never forgive myself - my family must be ashamed of me._ He looked up, tears brimming in his eyes, seeing how the sky was screened from view by cloud - clearly his family couldn't see him. Were they too ashamed to look at him?

But then he sensed a presence. Roberto looked around, but didn't see anything. But he heard voices. _Keep going. She needs you._ He picked out the voices; Alessandra, Ramon, Talitha, even Zenaida, and a male voice he assumed to be Andre's. All of them, encouraging him to keep going, telling him how he could save her.

 _We're so proud of you, son - make us even prouder._ Alessandra and Ramon.

 _It's not too late. You can do it, brother._ Talitha.

 _Please, save our daughter. She needs you._ Zenaida and Andre.

Suddenly, energy surged into Roberto's wings. His wings began to beat faster - he _could_ do it. _I can save her. It's not too late!_ His speed came rushing back, and then he was racing through the forest, attracting all sorts of looks - he was a blur of blue in the green forest. Nobody had ever seen a Spix's macaw fly so fast, for it was as if he had infinite energy.

Roberto prayed that Victoria had heard correct. What if she had misheard? What if it was the southeast, or northwest caves? A mistake like that could jeopardize Sophia's life and Roberto's future. _It must be right. It has to be!_ Roberto didn't slow down as the cave mouth swept into view, but as he entered the cave, he slowed, gripped by fear. He didn't like small, dark spaces - it reminded him too much of his time in captivity.

Roberto stopped, recoiling - he didn't want to go in. _Go on. What are you waiting for?_ Inhaling deeply, Roberto flew forward, trying to block the memories. He started looking all over the place; at first he thought the initial cave was empty, but then he saw how the cave extended into the dark, narrowing to a tunnel. Roberto flew into the darkness, squinting, trying to find a sign of either Sophia or Jespa. Water dripped from the ceiling, and there was an eerie sound of running water; looking down, Roberto realized that water carved through the rock, which rose steadily the further he went.

The rock was narrowing, and now claustrophobia was creeping in. Roberto was uneasy, and he jumped as he felt the stone press against his sides. He wanted to get out of here - it was cold, too.

Then his heart jolted. He could hear grunting up ahead, male and female. Hisses of pain, and rage - the anger was primarily male. The female was mostly the one crying out in pain. Roberto shot forward, the rock scraping his sides, knowing his ears weren't lying. Jespa and Sophia were up ahead. He raced through the tunnel, which was now widening. He kept following twists and turns, the sounds getting louder by the second. Then the noise exploded as he turned around the last corner. The tunnel now opened into a vast cave - he froze at what he saw.

 _"I'll kill you! You worthless snake, murderer!"_

 _"I'm not a murderer!"_

Sophia had her talons around Jespa's neck - she was on his shoulders, her claws wrapped around his throat, eyes ablaze with anger and fear. Jespa swung his head, shaking himself to loosen her grasp. It was Jespa who had the most wounds, but Sophia was marked by bruises and vicious scratches. She looked exhausted, and her strikes were getting sloppy as tiredness set in. Then Jespa seized her claws pulled - her talons were torn away. Grabbing hold of her by the wings, Jespa swung her over his head, throwing her to the ground.

Sophia tumbled across the stone, with a shriek. She coughed, and struggled to rise, gasping for breath. Jespa, muttering and grunting, limped away, seizing something Roberto couldn't see. Then he limped to Sophia, and rose his wing, revealing a shard of sharpened wood, like a spear tip.

"For Andre and Zenaida!" Jespa declared.

 _"No!"_ Roberto sprang into the air, with a squawk. Jespa spun round, and gasped as Roberto smacked straight into his side, headfirst. Jespa was knocked away, sent flying by the force of Roberto's attack. He crashed to a stop, perilously close to the cliff edge. He began coughing, on his wings and knees, gasping. Roberto raised his claws to strike, but then a shocked voice distracted him.

"Roberto?" Sophia asked, in disbelief and shock. He whirled around, and rushed to her side. Roberto's heart twisted as he saw her wounds, but he was relieved to see her weak smile. She wasn't fatally injured - they were just grazes. Blinking rapidly, Sophia threw her wings around his neck, and Roberto swept her to her feet.

"I got your message." He said, and for a brief moment, they nuzzled their beaks. But then the moment shattered.

"You." Snarled Jespa, recovering from the attack. Roberto slowly turned around, and stood up straight, wings spread to shield Sophia. Jespa staggered to his feet, spitting out a mixture of blood and saliva. He limped forward. "Get out of my way!" He demanded, coughing feebly. "Leave, while you still can!"

"Over my dead body!" Roberto declared, hissing.

"Wish granted!" Jespa retorted, before lunging at him. With a screech, Roberto sprang, talons slashing with all his power. His claws scored across Jespa's chest, and his beak connected with Jespa's head feathers - he yanked hard, and felt them rip out. But this didn't slow Jespa down. He raked his talons at Roberto's stomach, and Roberto released his grasp, feeling the piercing pain. Jespa aimed for his throat, but then there was a whistle of air.

"Leave him!" Sophia screeched, pulling Jespa away, and once again, the two siblings rolled across the floor, a whirlwind of blue and slashing talons. With a savage snarl, Jespa latched his claws onto Sophia like a matchet, before throwing her directly into the wall. A few bits of stone fell with Sophia, who now slumped at the foot of the wall, stunned by the impact of the rock.

"Soph!" Roberto began, but Jespa rammed into his side, and the two males sprawled across the cliff edge. Jespa shoved him against the boulder that had tethered Sophia before, his eyes filled with enmity - the pebbles under the rock shifted, and clattered over the cliff edge, splashing into the black water below. With these pebbles dislodged, the boulder moved a fraction toward the edge.

"You've irritated me from the moment I clapped eyes on you!" Jespa spat in his face, wings buried into his sides with an agonizing grip. "But I never imagined that you would be this stubborn. Just forget about her."

"But I love her!" Roberto protested, fearful when he realized he couldn't escape Jespa's grasp.

"Ha!" Jespa laughed as if Roberto had said something hilarious. "I don't believe in love. It does not exist."

"It does, Jespa! I love Sophia." Roberto then gave Jespa a powerful kick in the belly, driving the breath out of him. Escaping his grasp, Roberto shoved Jespa into the tangle of vines that had been used to tether Sophia. Jespa writhed, entangled in the vines - they twisted around his neck, his legs, and wings.

Staggering to his talons, Jespa lunged at him, pulling the vines as he did - the rock lifted a bit, and then it settled back. But now, more pebbles and dirt were falling, and now the fragile cliff edge under the boulder, Roberto and Jespa was moving. Roberto looked down, feeling the movement.

The cliff edge was now falling apart. Jespa now realized, and whipped his head up, staring at Roberto. Then it gave out. Roberto scrabbled back, as Jespa swarmed forwards, desperately trying to release himself from the mess of vines. Jespa sank his claws into Roberto's back, with a screech of fear to try and gain leverage - Roberto was almost dragged with him, but at the last moment, wings seized his own.

Sophia clutched onto him for dear life, as he dug his claws into the cliff. Jespa suddenly shrieked as the boulder yanked upon him, and there was a sickening crack as the weight of the boulder broke something. Then Jespa held onto Roberto no more. Losing his grasp, he plummeted down the cliff side, snared in the vines. Roberto looked down with wide eyes, just in time to see and hear the huge splash as the rock hit the surface - Jespa began to scream, but it was abruptly cut off as he went into the water. The water began rippling wildly, waves smacking against the cliff face.

There was a moment of shocked silence. Then Sophia was grunting, struggling to pull him up. Roberto hastily scrabbled up, onto solid ground again. Immediately, he looked back over the cliff with Sophia. For a few moments, there was a series of ripples of bubbles in the water that had swallowed Jespa. Then they slowed down. Then... then...

Nothing. The black surface became as still as death itself.

But then something did bob up. Roberto gasped, at first thinking that Jespa was somehow still alive - then he realized that the body was face-down, and still. Jespa must have freed himself, but at that moment run out of air. Sophia stared at Roberto in shock, before rushing down the cliff, with him close behind. Together, they grabbed onto the floating body before the current took it, and hauled it out of the water, onto the rock bank.

Roberto and Sophia stood over Jespa. Sodden vines still clung to him, but now he was still. Jespa lay, broken, before them - his eyes were open, but now they were blank and glassy, their amber depths lifeless. Dark water trickled through his plumage, causing the thin trails of blood to start trickling down to the stone floor. Jespa, after nineteen years of madness, was dead.

Roberto wasn't sure how Sophia would react. He looked at her, wondering if she'd blame him. But instead, she sank to her knees, eyes closed, shaking - her body racked with the beginning of sobs. "It's over." She whispered. "He's gone for good." Roberto stood in shock, trying to find something comforting to say. He sank to the floor beside her, cloaking his wing over Sophia's shoulders.

"I'm so sorry..." he began. Roberto looked down at Jespa, and felt sorrow. Things could have been so different, if he had been normal. Roberto rested his wings on Jespa's eyelids - then he slid them closed, so the mania in the orange irises was concealed. Sophia leaned against him, covering her face with her wings. It was over.

Jespa's insanity had come to an end.

 _Later_

Roberto and Sophia emerged from the cave, in silence. The sky was milky blue, with streaks of cloud and the glow of the moon turning everything to silver as it rose. They were both exhausted and their wounds hurt, but both of them couldn't believe it still - Jespa was dead. They'd never see him again - he couldn't hurt them any longer. They paused, and Sophia took his wing.

"So what do we do now?" she asked quietly. Her feathers were out of place, a graze on her shoulder and her cheek. The skin under her eyes was grey, and Sophia looked exhausted. She didn't seem to be mournful, however.

"Probably stick together." Roberto answered. He sat down painfully, wincing at one of his scratches. There was a long moment of silence. Roberto found something to say. "He's at peace, now." But he was lying to himself. Jespa's soul would never be at rest, unless Andre set him straight.

"He'll never be at peace." Sophia sighed, also sitting. "I don't know where he's going... but he sure won't be with mom and dad, up there."

"Well, you shouldn't worry." Roberto said. He turned to look at her. "You're free, Sophia. He can't hurt you any more." It was true. Jespa was now no more than a memory.

"Free." Sophia echoed. Despite the fatigue on her face, she started to smile. "We're free..." She shook her head in disbelief. "I love you so much."

"And I love you too." Roberto replied. Sophia blinked rapidly with the beginnings of tears of joy - she hugged him. Roberto closed his eyes, and stroked her head feathers, the weight on his heart lifting entirely. For the first time in his life, he was content. "It's just you and me, now. For always."

"You and me, for always..." Sophia murmured in his ear. Roberto felt her smile. "Maybe not _just_ you and me."


	29. Epilogue

_A few weeks later_

Sophia had kept her promise. She had promised to help Roberto get rid of the ring on his leg as soon as the Spix's Wing was finished - and now it was done.

Roberto had been terrified that the humans would take one look at the ring, and return him to his former owners. But instead, they had looked at him with sympathy. He had waited in suspense as the humans examined the ring, terrified of how they would remove it - but Sophia had kept talking to him, distracting him from what the humans were doing. Then the ring was gone. As simple as that, his leg was bare for the first time in years. Roberto couldn't believe it still. He kept looking down, expecting it to be there, but it wasn't. It was such a good feeling.

Roberto flew alongside Sophia - the clouds were low, so they were flying above them, the sun glowing onto their feathers. The clouds were golden, like honey. A moment of serenity was held, but then it was broken.

"Whoo-hoo!" Sqeauled an excited voice, making them both smile. A small female chick, periwinkle blue like Sophia, shot past Roberto, with a high-pitched cry of joy. "This is _amazing!"_ She giggled happily.

She was small and petite - she had a very cherubic face, with round cheeks and a messy flick of feathers on her head, and big, pale blue eyes. Despite her small size, Orchid made up for it with her big personality. Bouncy, sweet, and with a heart of gold, Orchid was their youngest chick, but Roberto and Sophia had been terrified that she would never hatch. She had been the last to hatch - although all eggs had been laid almost at the same time, she had been a week late. Her egg had been small with a slight crack in the shell, but Roberto and Sophia hadn't given up hope.

"I told you flying wasn't scary!" An older female chick emerged from a cloud, with a giggle. She had a prominent violet hint to her blue feathers, and ocean-blue eyes; her head feathers were much more elegant than her little sister's were, but they still looked very alike. Bromeliad was very out-going, perhaps a little impulsive; she didn't think before she spoke, but she looked out for her sister. And her brothers, as annoying as brothers could be.

Suddenly, two blue streaks popped out of a cloud, sweeping upon their sisters. Mature and intellectual, Isaac was a little quiet, although he was the peacekeeper of his siblings. He was always the one to break up the bickering between his siblings and even the other chicks. The second born chick, yet the eldest of the two boys, Isaac had light blue-green eyes and teal-hinted, light blue feathers. Alessandra had had a hint of teal to her plumage.

Finally, the third born chick and youngest boy followed Isaac. Named for the colour of his feathers, Azure was the colour of the sky, although there was his mother's periwinkle hue present around his chest and wings. He had darker head feathers; they were shorter than Roberto's, but Azure had more of them. He had blue eyes - of course all their kids would more than likely have blue or blue-based eyes, since Roberto had pale blue and Sophia had dark blue. However, Azure was different. One eye had a fleck of amber in it. But it wasn't the unsettling orange of Jespa - the fleck was a soft, liquid amber. Azure was a gentle soul, friendly and kind-hearted - and he had a wonderful singing voice. All four siblings did.

"I'm going to get you, Bromeliad, Orchid!" Isaac boasted, flying toward his sisters. Bromeliad and Orchid laughed.

"Catch us if you can!" Bromeliad challenged, before she and Orchid flew for it, with Isaac not far behind.

"We will!" Azure vowed, flying after his three siblings. Sophia nuzzled Roberto midflight, before flying after the four chicks.

"Not if I catch you all first." She teased. Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid came rushing back, and they started to play with their mother. "Hey, look!" Sophia chuckled, turning the chicks toward Roberto. "Jump on him!" The four giggled, launching themselves at their father. Roberto laughed, and dodged to the side, before he and Sophia flew into the clouds, their children chasing them.

They hadn't told Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid about Jespa yet. They'd have to eventually - their chicks were fast befriending many others, like Bruno, Carla, Bia and Tiago. All of them had witnessed Jespa's banishment, heard the news of his demise, and Bruno and Tiago had been effected by Jespa. It was only a matter of time until Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid learned they had a dead uncle their parents had never mentioned. They'd tell them someday - the whole ordeal, with Zenaida and Andre, when they were old enough to hear the dark side of what had happened.

But Roberto wasn't worried about a thing. Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid would understand.

Roberto and Sophia had some bad stories to tell, no doubt. Jespa's condition, Zenaida and Andre, and Roberto's time in captivity. But they had other tales. How Roberto had fallen in love with the rose that was their mother, and the other wonderful times he and Sophia had had before and after falling in love.

Despite everything else, Roberto and Sophia had some wonderful stories to tell.

 ** _That's all, guys. I hope you've all enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it, and I thank everyone for their warm reviews and support. This story has been one of my most difficult to write, and I'm very happy with how it's turned out. Thanks again - I'll be back soon with a new story. It's not Rio, but I will return with a new Rio story in a few months!_**

 ** _Thank you very much, it's been a pleasure - until next time!_**


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